^C-v<--e^«v^J 


"Z> 


<T, 


INSTITUTES 


OF  THE 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


INSTITUTES 

OP  THE 

CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

BY 

JOHN   CALVIN. 

TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  LATIN,  AND  COLLATED  WITH 
THE  AUTHOR'S  LAST  EDITION  IN  FRENCH, 

BY  JOHN  ALLEN. 


Non  tamcn  omnino  potuit  raors  invida  totuni 
Tollere  Calvinum  terris;  seterna  manebant 
Ingenii  monumenta  tui:  et  livoris  iniqui 
Languida  paulatim  cum  fiamma  resederit,  omues 
Religio  qua  pura  nitet  se  fundet  in  oras 
Fama  tui.  BUCHANAN.  POEMAT. 


IN  THREE  VOLUMES. 
VOL.  I. 

FIRST  AMERICAN,  FROM  THE  LAST  LONDON  EDITION. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  PHILIP  H.  NICKL1N, 

AWD    BY 

HEZEKIAH  HOWE,  NEW-HAVEN. 

William  Fry,  Printer. 

1816. 


URL 


THE 


TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE. 


WWW  WWW  VW 


THE  English  Reader  is  here  presented  with  a  Trans- 
lation of  one  of  the  principal  theological  productions 
of  the  sixteenth  century.  Few  persons,  into  whose 
hands  this  translation  is  likely  to  fall,  will  require  to 
be  informed  that  the  author  of  the  original  work  was 
one  of  an  illustrious  triumvirate,  who  acted  the  most 
conspicuous  part  in  what  has  been  generally  and  justly 
denominated  THE  REFORMATION.  Of  that  important 
revolution  in  ecclesiastical  affairs,  so  necessary  to  the 
interests  of  true  religion,  and  productive  of  such  im- 
mense advantages  even  to  civil  society,  LUTHER, 
ZUINGLE,  and  CALVIN,  were  honoured,  by  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  to  be  the  most  highly  distinguished 
instruments.  It  is  no  degradation  to  the  memory  of 
the  many  other  ornaments  of  that  age,  to  consider  them 
as  brilliant  satellites  in  the  firmament  of  the  Church, 
revolving  round  these  primary  luminaries,  to  whom 
they  were  indebted  for  much  of  that  lustre  which 
they  diffused  over  the  earth;  while  they  were  all  to. 


vi  TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE. 

gether  revolving  around  one  and  the  same  common 
centre,  though,  it  must  be  confessed,  with  considerable 
varieties  of  approximation,  velocity,  and  obliquity  in 
their  courses;  yet  all  deriving  more  or  less  copious  com- 
munications of  light  from  the  great  Sun  of  the  moral 
system,  THE  TRUE  LIGHT  OF  THE  WORLD. 

Differing  in  the  powers  of  their  minds  as  well  as  in 
the  temperament  of  their  bodily  constitutions,  placed 
in  different  circumstances,  and  called  to  act  in  different 
scenes,  these  leading  Reformers,  though  engaged  in 
the  same  common  cause,  displayed  their  characteristic 
and  peculiar  excellencies;  which,  it  is  no  disparage- 
ment of  that  cause  to  admit,  were  likewise  accompanied 
by  peculiar  failings.  It  is  not  the  design  of  this  Pre- 
face to  pourtray  and  discriminate  their  respective  cha- 
racters. They  alike  devoted  their  lives  and  labours  to 
rescue  Christianity  from  the  absurdities,  superstitions, 
and  vices  by  which  it  had  been  so  deplorably  deformed, 
mutilated,  and  obscured,  and  to  recal  the  attention  of 
mankind  from  the  doubtful  traditions  of  men  to  the 
unerring  word  of  God.  But  while  they  were  all  dis- 
tinguished Reformers,  Calvin  has  been  generally  ac- 
knowledged to  have  been  the  most  eminent  theologian 
of  the  three. 

Such  was  the  superiority  of  the  talents  and  attain- 
ments of  Calvin  to  those  of  most  other  great  men,  that 
the  strictest  truth  is  in  danger  of  being  taken  for  exagge- 
ration. It  is  impossible  for  any  candid  and  intelligent 
person  to  have  even  a  slight  acquaintance  with  his  writ- 


TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE.  vii 

ings,  without  admiring  his  various  knowledge,  extensive 
learning,  profound  penetration,  solid  judgment,  acute 
reasoning,  pure  morality,  and  fervent  piety. 

His  COMMENTARIES  on  the  Scriptures  have  been 
celebrated  for  a  juster  method  of  exposition  than  had 
been  exhibited  by  any  preceding  writer.  Above  a  hun- 
dred years  after  his  death,  Pool,  the  Author  of  the  Synop- 
sis, in  the  preface  to  that  Valuable  work,  says;  "  Calvin's 
Commentaries  abound  in  solid  discussions  of  theologi- 
cal subjects,  and  practical  improvements  of  them.  Sub- 
sequent writers  have  borrowed  most  of  their  materials 
from  Calvin,  and  his  interpretations  adorn  the  books 
even  of  those  who  repay  the  obligation  by  reproaching 
their  master."  And  nothing  can  more  satisfactorily  evince 
the  high  estimation  to  which  they  are  still  entitled  from 
the  biblical  student,  than  the  following  testimony  given 
after  the  lapse  of  another  century  by  the  late  learned 
bishop  Horsley:  "  I  hold  the  memory  of  Calvin  in  high 
veneration;  his  works  have  a  place  in  my  library;  and, 
in  the  study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  he  is  one  of  the 
commentators  whom  I  frequently  consult." 

But  perhaps  of  all  the  writings  of  Calvin  none  has 
excited  so  much  attention  as  his  INSTITUTES  OF  THE 
CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

His  original  design  in  commencing  this  work  is  stated 
by  himself,  in  the  beginning  of  his  Dedication,  to  have 
been  to  supply  his  countrymen,  the  French,  with  an 
elementary  compendium  for  their  instruction  in  the  prin- 


viii  TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE. 

ciples  of  true  religion.  But  we  learn  from  Beza,  that,  by 
the  time  of  its  completion,  existing  circumstances  fur- 
nished the  Author  with  an  additional  motive  for  sending 
it  into  the  world,  during  his  residence  at  Basil,  whither 
he  had  retired  to  avoid  the  persecution  which  was  then 
raging  in  France  against  all  the  dissentients  from  the 
Church  of  Rome.  Francis  the  First,  king  of  France, 
courted  the  friendship  of  the  Protestant  princes  of  Ger- 
many; and  knowing  their  detestation  of  the  cruelties 
which  he  employed  against  his  subjects  of  the  reformed 
religion,  he  endeavoured  to  excuse  his  conduct  by  al- 
leging, that  he  caused  none  to  be  put  to  death  except 
some  fanatics;  who,  so  far  from  taking  the  word  of  God 
as  the  rule  of  their  faith,  gave  themselves  up  to  the  im- 
pulses of  their  disordered  imaginations,  and  even  openly 
avowed  a  contempt  for  magistrates  and  sovereign  princes. 
Unable  to  bear  such  foul  aspersions  of  his  brethren, 
Calvin  determined  on  the  immediate  publication  of  this 
Treatise,  which  he  thought  would  serve  as  an  answer 
to  the  calumnies  circulated  by  the  enemies  of  the  truth, 
and  as  an  apology  for  his  pious  and  persecuted  country- 
men. 

The  Dedication  to  Francis  is  one  of  the  most  mas- 
terly compositions  of  modern  times.  The  purity,  elegance, 
and  energy  of  style;  the  bold,  yet  respectful,  freedom  of 
address;  the  firm  attachment  to  the  Divine  word;  the 
Christian  fortitude  in  the  midst  of  persecution;  the 
triumphant  refutation  of  the  calumnies  of  detractors;  with 
other  qualities  which  distinguish  this  celebrated  remon- 
strance, will  surely  permit  no  reader  of  taste  or  piety 


TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE.  ix 

to  withhold  his  concurrence  from  the  general  admiration 
which  it  has  received. 


The  Author  composed  this  Treatise  in  Latin  and 
French;  and  though  at  its  first  appearance  it  was  little 
more  than  an  outline  of  what  it  afterwards  became,  it 
was  received  with  uncommon  approbation,  and  a  second 
edition  was  soon  required.  How  many  editions  it  passed 
through  during  his  life,  it  is  difficult,  if  not  impossible, 
now  to  ascertain;  but  it  obtained  a  very  extensive  cir- 
culation, and  was  reprinted  several  times,  and  every  time 
was  further  improved  and  enlarged  by  him,  till  in  the 
year  1559,  twenty-three  years  after  the  first  impression, 
he  put  the  finishing  hand  to  his  work,  and  published  it 
in  Latin  and  French,  with  his  last  corrections  and  addi- 
tions. 

i 

The  circulation  which  it  enjoyed  was  not  confined  to 
persons  capable  of  reading  it  in  the  languages  in  which 
it  was  written.  It  was  translated  into  High  Dutch,  Low 
Dutch,  Italian,  and  Spanish. 

Soon  after  the  publication  of  the  Author's  last  edition, 
it  was  translated  from  the  Latin  into  English.  In  this 
language  it  appears  to  have  reached  six  editions  in  the 
life  of  the  Translator.  A  reflection  on  the  small  number 
of  persons  who  may  be  supposed  to  have  had  inclination 
and  ability  to  read  such  a  book  at  that  period,  compared 
with  the  number  of  readers  in  the  present  age,  may 
excite  some  wonder  that  there  should  have  been  a  de- 
mand for  so  many  editions.  But  no  surprise  at  this  cir- 

VOL.  I.  b 


x  TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE. 

cumstance  will  be  felt  by  any  person  acquainted  with 
the  high  estimation  in  which  the  works  of  the  Author 
were  held,  by  the  venerable  Reformers  of  the  Church  of 
England,  and  their  immediate  successors,  as  well  as  by 
the  great  majority  of  religious  people  in  this  country. 
This  is  not  a  question  of  opinion,  but  an  undeniable  fact. 
Dr.  Heylyn,  the  admirer  and  biographer  of  Archbishop 
Laud,  speaking  of  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury, says,  that  Calvin's  "  Book  of  Institutes  was,  for 
the  most  part,  the  foundation  on  which  the  young  di- 
vines of  those  times  did  build  their  studies."  The  great 
Dr.  Saunderson,  who  was  Chaplain  to  King  Charles  the 
First,  and  after  the  restoration  of  Charles  the  Second  was 
created  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  says;  "  When  I  began  to  set 
myself  to  the  study  of  divinity  as  my  proper  business, 
Calvin's  Institutions  were  recommended  to  me,  as  they 
were  generally  to  all  young  scholars  in  those  times,  as 
the  best  and  perfectest  system  of  divinity,  and  the  fittest 
to  be  laid  as  a  ground-work  in  the  study  of  this  pro- 
fession. And  indeed  my  expectation  was  not  at  all  de- 
ceived in  the  reading  of  those  Institutions."* 

*  It  is  not  uncommon,  among  persons  of  a  certain  class,  to  repre- 
sent the  leading  principles  of  Calvin  as  unfavourable  to  practical 
religion,  and  to  that  kind  of  preaching  which  is  adapted  to  affect 
the  hearts  and  consciences  of  the  hearers.  A  reference  to  the  most 
able  and  intelligent  theologians  and  preachers  who  have  held  those 
principles,  and  upon  whom  they  may  reasonably  be  concluded  to 
have  exerted  their  genuine  and  fullest  influence,  will  amply  evince 
the  inaccuracy  of  this  representation.  Of  the  excellent  divine  quoted 
above,  King  Charles  the  First  was  wont  to  say,  that  "  he  carried  his 
ears  to  hear  other  preachers,  but  his  conscience  to  hear  Mr.  Sauu- 
derson." 


TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE.  xi 

The  great  changes  which  have  taken  place  in  our  lan- 
guage render  it  difficult  to  form  a  correct  opinion  of  the 
merits  of  Mr.  Norton's  translation,  which  was  first  pub- 
lished about  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago.  It  must 
give  rather  a  favourable  idea  of  its  execution,  that  it  was 
carefully  revised  by  the  Reverend  David  Whitehead,  a 
man  of  learning  and  piety,  who,  in  the  reign  of  Henry 
the  Eighth,  was  nominated  by  Archbishop  Cramiier  to 
a  bishopric  in  Ireland,  and  soon  after  the  accession  of 
Queen  Elizabeth,  was  solicited  by  that  Princess  to  fill 
the  metropolitan  See  of  Canterbury,  but  declined  the 
preferment.  But,  whatever  were  the  merits  or  defects  of 
that  translation  at  its  first  appearance,  it  has  long  been  too 
antiquated,  uncouth,  and  obscure,  to  convey  any  just 
idea  of  the  original  work,  and  abounds  with  passages 
which,  to  the  modern  English  reader,  cannot  but  be  al- 
together unintelligible. 

The  intrinsic  excellence  of  the  book,  its  importance  in 
the  history  of  theological  controversy,  the  celebrity  of 
the  author,  the  application  of  his  name  to  designate  the 
leading  principles  of  the  system  he  maintained,  and  the 
frequent  collision  of  sentiment  respecting  various  parts 
of  that  system,  combine  with  other  considerations  to 
render  it  a  matter  of  wonder,  that  it  has  not'  been  long 
ago  given  to  the  English  public  in  a  new  dress.  The 
importance  of  it  has  also  been  much  increased  by  the 
recent  controversy  respecting  Calvinism,  commenced  by 
Dr.  Tomline,  the  present  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  in  which 
such  direct  and  copious  reference  has  been  made  to  the 
writings  of  this  Reformer,  and  especially  to  his  CHRIS- 


xii  TRANSLATOR'S   PREFACE. 

TIAN  INSTITUTES.  These  circumstances  and  considera- 
tions have  led  to  the  present  translation  and  publication, 
which,  from  the  very  respectable  encouragement  it  has 
received,  the  Translator  trusts  will  be  regarded  as  an 
acceptable  service  to  the  religious  public. 

Among  the  different  methods  of  translation,  which 
have  been  recommended,  he  has  adopted  that  which  ap- 
peared to  him  best  fitted  to  the  present  undertaking. 
A  servile  adherence  to  the  letter  of  the  original,  the  style 
of  which  is  so  very  remote  from  the  English  idiom,  he 
thought  would  convey  a  very  inadequate  representation 
of  the  work;  such  extreme  fidelity,  to  use  an  expres- 
sion of  Cowper's,  being  seldom  successful,  even  in  a 
faithful  transmission  of  the  precise  sentiments  of  the 
Author  to  the  mind  of  the  reader.  A  mere  attention  to 
the  ideas  and  sentiments  of  the  original,  to  the  neglect 
of  its  style  and  manner,  would  expose  the  Translator 
of  a  treatise  of  this  nature  to  no  small  danger  of  misre- 
presenting the  meaning  of  the  Author,  by  too  frequent 
and  unnecessary  deviations  from  his  language.  He  has, 
therefore,  aimed  at  a  medium  between  servility  and 
looseness,  and  endeavoured  to  follow  the  style  of  the 
original  as  far  as  the  respective  idioms  of  the  Latin  and 
English  would  admit. 

After  the  greater  part  of  the  work  had  been  translated, 
lie  had  the  happiness  to  meet  with  an  edition  in  French, 
of  which  he  has  availed  himself  in  translating  the  re- 
mainder, and  in  the  revision  of  what  he  had  translated 
before.  Every  person,  who  understands  any  two  langua- 


TRANSLATOR'S   PREFACE.  xiii 

ges,  will  be  aware  that  the  ambiguity  of  one  will  some- 
times be  explained  by  the  precision  of  another:  and, 
notwithstanding  the  acknowledged  superiority  of  the 
Latin  to  the  French  in  most  of  the  qualities  which  con- 
stitute the  excellence  of  a  language,  the  case  of  the 
article  is  not  the  only  instance  in  which  Calvin's  French 
elucidates  his  Latin. 

The  Scriptural  quotations  which  occur  in  the  work, 
the  Translator  has  given,  generally,  in  the  words  of  our 
common  English  version;  sometimes  according  to  the 
readings  in  the  margin  of  that  version;  and,  in  a  few 
instances,  he  has  literally  translated  the  version  adopted 
by  the  Author,  where  the  context  required  his  peculiar 
reading  to  be  preserved.  Almost  all  the  writers  of 
that  age,  writing  chiefly  in  a  dead  language,  were 
accustomed  to  speak  of  their  adversaries  in  terms 
which  the  polished  manners  of  the  modern  times  have 
discarded,  and  which  would  now  be  deemed  illiberal 
and  scurrilous.  Where  these  cases  occur,  the  Trans- 
lator has  not  thought  himself  bound  to  a  literal  render- 
ing of  every  word,  or  at  liberty  to  refine  them  entirely 
away,  but  has  adopted  such  expressions  as  he  appre- 
hends will  give  a  faithful  representation  of  the  spirit  of 
the  author  to  modern  readers. 

Intending  this  work  as  a  complete  system  of  theo- 
logy, the  Author  has  made  it  the  repository  of  his  senti- 
ments on  all  points  of  faith  and  practice.  The  whole 
being  distributed  into  four  parts,  in  conformity  to  the 
Apostle's  Creed,  and  this  plan  being  very  different  from 


xiv  TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE. 

that  of  most  other  bodies  of  divinity,  the  Translator 
has  borrowed  from  the  Latin  edition  of  Amsterdam 
a  very  perspicuous  General  Syllabus,  which  will  give 
the  reader  a  clear  view  of  the  original  design  and  plan  of 
the  treatise. 

He  would  not  be  understood  to  represent  these  Insti- 
tutes as  a  perfect  summary  of  Christian  doctrines  and 
morals,  or  to  profess  an  unqualified  approbation  of  all 
the  sentiments  they  contain.  This  is  a  homage  to  which 
no  uninspired  writings  can  ever  be  entitled.  But  the 
simplicity  of  method;  the  freedom  from  the  barbarous 
terms,  captious  questions,  minute  distinctions,  and 
intricate  subtilties  of  many  other  divines;  the  clear- 
ness and  closeness  of  argument;  the  complete  refutation 
of  the  advocates  of  the  Roman  church,  sometimes  by 
obvious  conclusions  from  their  professed  principles,  some- 
times by  clear  proofs  of  the  absurdities  they  involve; 
the  intimate  knowledge  of  ecclesiastical  history;  the  fa- 
miliar acquaintance  with  former  theological  controversies; 
the  perspicuity  of  scriptural  interpretation;  and  the  uni- 
form spirit  of  genuine  piety,  which  pervade  the  book, 
cannot  escape  the  observation  of  any  judicious  reader. 

It  has  been  advised  by  some  persons  that  the  trans- 
lation should  be  accompanied  by  a  few  notes,  to  eluci- 
date and  enforce  some  passages  and  to  correct  others: 
but,  on  all  the  consideration  the  Translator  has  been 
able  to  give  to  this  subject,  he  has  thought  it  would  be 
best  to  content  himself  with  the  humble  office  of  placing 
the  sentiments  of  Calvin  before  the  reader  with  all  the 


TRANSLATOR'S  PREFACE.  xv 

fidelity  in  his  power,  without  any  addition  or  limitation. 
He  hopes  that  the  present  publication  will  serve  the 
cause  of  true  religion,  and  that  the  reputation  of  the 
work  itself  will  sustain  no  diminution  from  the  form  i» 
which  it  now  appears. 

London,  May  12,  1813. 


P.  S.  Many  persons  have  expressed  a  wish  that  the 
present  edition  of  the  Institutes  should  be  preceded  .by 
a  Life  of  the  Author.  But,  to  attempt  doing  any  thing 
like  justice  to  the  subject,  would  require  at  kast  another 
volume,  which  could  not  be  composed  without  more 
time  and  labour  than  the  Translator  has  hitherto  been 
able  to  devote  to  it.  He  now  intends,  however,  to  take 
every  opportunity  of  collecting  materials  for  the  purpose, 
and  will  feel  himself  much  obliged  by  any  communica- 
tions relative  to  the  subject  itself,  or  to  sources  from 
which  the  requisite  information  may  be  derived. 


THE 

AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 

TO  AN  EDITION 

PUBLISHED  IN  THE  YEAR  1539, 
WITH    HIS 

LAST  CORRECTIONS  AND  ADDITIONS. 


IN  the  first  edition  of  this  work,  not  expecting  that  suc- 
cess which  the  Lord  in  his  infinite  goodness  hath  given, 
I  handled  the  subject  for  the  most  part  in  a  superficial 
manner,  as  is  usual  in  small  treatises.  But  when  I  under- 
stood that  it  had  obtained  from  almost  all  pious  persons 
such  a  favourable  acceptance  as  I  never  could  have  pre- 
sumed to  wish,  much  less  to  hope;  while  I  was  conscious 
of  receiving  far  more  attention  than  I  had  deserved,  I 
thought  it  would  evince  great  ingratitude,  if  I  did  not  en- 
deavour at  least,  according  to  my  humble  ability,  to  make 
some  suitable  return  for  the  attentions  paid  to  me;  —  at- 
tentions of  themselves  calculated  to  stimulate  my  indus- 
try. Nor  did  I  attempt  this  only  in  the  second  edition; 
but  in  every  succeeding  one  the  work  has  been  improved 
by  some  farther  enlargements.  But  though  I  repented  not 
the  labour  then  devoted  to  it,  yet  I  never  satisfied  myself, 
till  it  was  arranged  in  the  order  in  which  it  is  now  pub- 
Vot..  T.  A 


2  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 

lished:  and  I  trust  I  have  here  presented  to  my  readers 
what  their  judgments  will  unite  in  approving.  Of  my 
diligent  application  to  the  accomplishment  of  this  service 
for  the  Church  of  God,  I  can  produce  abundant  proof. 
For,  last  winter,  when  I  thought  that  a  quartan  ague  would 
speedily  terminate  in  my  death,  the  more  my  disorder 
increased,  the  less  I  spared  myself,  till  I  had  finished  this 
book,  to  leave  it  behind  me,  as  some  grateful  return  to 
such  kind  solicitations  of  the  religious  public.  Indeed,  I 
would  rather  it  had  been  done  sooner,  but  it  is  soon 

iough,  if  well  enough.  I  shall  think  it  has  appeared  at 
the  proper  time,  when  I  shall  find  it  to  have  been  more 
beneficial  than  before  to  the  Church  of  God.  This  is  my 
only  wish. 

I  should  indeed  be  ill  requited  for  my  labour,  if  I  did 
not  content  myself  with  the  approbation  of  God  alone,, 
despising  equally  the  foolish  and  perverse  judgments  of 
ignorant  men,  and  the  calumnies  and  detractions  of  the 
wicked.  For  though  God  hath  wholly  devoted  my  mind 
to  study  the  enlargement  of  his  kingdom,  and  the  pro- 
motion of  general  usefulness;  and  I  have  the  testimony 
of  my  own  conscience,  of  angels,  and  of  God  himself,  that 
since  I  undertook  the  office  of  a  teacher  in  the  church,  I 
have  had  no  other  object  in  view  than  to  profit  the  church 
by  maintaining  the  pure  doctrine  of  godliness;  yet  I  sup- 
pose there  is  no  man  more  slandered  or  calumniated  than 
myself.  When  this  Preface  was  actually  in  the  press,  I 
had  certain  information,  that  at  Augsburg,  were  the  States 
of  the  Empire  were  assembled,  a  report  had  been  circula- 


AUTHOR'S   PREFACE.  8 

ted,  of  my  defection  to  the  papacy,  and  received  with  un- 
becoming eagerness  in  the  courts  of  the  princes.  This  is 
the  gratitude  of  those  who  cannot  be  unacquainted  with 
the  numerous  proofs  of  my  constancy,  which  not  only  re- 
fute such  a  foul  calumny,  but,  with  all  equitable  and  hu- 
mane judges,  ought  to  preserve  me  from  it.  But  the  devil, 
with  all  his  host,  is  deceived,  if  he  think  to  overwhelm 
me  with  vile  falsehoods,  or  to  render  me  more  timid, 
indolent,  or  dilatory,  by  such  indignities.  For  I  trust  that 
God  in  his  infinite  goodness  will  enable  me  to  persevere 
with  patient  constancy  in  the  career  of  his  holy  calling: 
of  which  I  afford  my  pious  readers  a  fresh  proof  in  this 
edition. 

Now  my  design  in  this  work  has  been  to  prepare  and 
qualify  students  of  theology  for  the  reading  of  the  divine 
word,  that  they  may  have  an  easy  introduction  to  it,  and 
be  enabled  to  proceed  in  it  without  any  obstruction.  For 
I  think  I  have  given  such  a  comprehensive  summary,  and 
orderly  arrangement  of  all  the  branches  of  religion,  that, 
with  proper  attention,  no  person  will  find  any  difficulty  in 
determining  what  ought  to  be  the  principal  objects  of  his 
research  in  the  Scripture,  and  to  what  end  he  ought  to 
refer  any  thing  it  contains.  This  way  therefore  being  pre- 
pared, if  I  should  hereafter  publish  any  expositions  of  the 
Scripture,  I  shall  have  no  need  to  introduce  long  discus- 
sions respecting  doctrines,  or  digressions  on  common 
topics,  and  therefore  shall  always  compress  them  within 
a  narrow  compass.  This  will  relieve  the  pious  reader  from 
great  trouble  and  tediousness,  provided  he  come  previous- 


4  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 

ly  furnished  with  the  necessary  information,  by  a  know-' 
ledge  of  the  present  work.  But  as  the  reason  of  this  design 
is  very  evident  in  my  numerous  Commentaries,  I  would 
rather  have  it  known  from  the  fact  itself,  than  from  my 
declaration. 

Farewell,  friendly  reader,  and  if  you  receive  any  benefit 
from  my  labours,  let  me  have  the  assistance  of  your  prayers 
With  God  our  Father. 

Geneva,  1st  August ^  1559. 


DEDICATION. 


To  His  Most  Christian  Majesty,  Francis,  King  of  the 
French  and  his  Sovereign,  John  Calvin  wisheth  peace 
and  salvation  in  Christ. 

"WHEN  I  began  this  work,  Sire,  nothing  was  farther 
from  my  thoughts  than  writing  a  book  which  would 
afterwards  be  presented  to  your  Majesty.  My  intention 
was  only  to  lay  down  some  elementary  principles,  by 
which  inquirers  on  the  subject  of  religion  might  be 
instructed  in  the  nature  of  true  piety.  And  this  labour  I 
undertook  chiefly  for  my  countrymen,  the  French,  of 
whom  I  apprehended  multitudes  to  be  hungering  and 
thirsting  after  Christ,  but  saw  very  few  possessing  any 
real  knowledge  of  him.  That  this  was  my  design,  the 
book  itself  proves  by  its  simple  method  and  unadorned 
composition.  But  when  I  perceived  that  the  fury  of  cer- 
tain wicked  men  in  your  kingdom  had  grown  to  such  a 
height,  as  to  leave  no  room  in  the  land  for  sound  doctrine, 
I  thought  I  should  be  usefully  employed,  if  in  the  same 
work  I  delivered  my  instructions  to  them,  and  exhibited 
my  confession  to  you,  that  you  may  know  the  nature  of 
that  doctrine,  which  is  the  object  of  such  unbounded 
rage  to  those  madmen,  who  are  now  disturbing  your 
kingdom  with  fire  and  sword.  For  I  shall  not  be  afraid  to 
acknowledge,  that  this  treatise  contains  a  summary  of 
that  very  doctrine,  which,  according  to  their  clamours, 


<i  DEDICATION. 

deserves  to  be  punished  with  imprisonment,  banishment, 
proscription,  and  flames,  and  to  be  exterminated  from  the 
face  of  the  earth.  I  well  know  with  what  atrocious  insinua- 
tions your  ears  have  been  filled  by  them,  in  order  to  render 
our  cause  most  odious  in  your  esteem;  but  your  clemency 
should  lead  you  to  consider,  that  if  accusation  be  ac- 
counted a  sufficient  evidence  of  guilt,  there  will  be  an 
end  of  all  innocence  in  words  and  actions.  If  any  one  in- 
deed, with  a  view  to  bring  an  odium  upon  the  doctrine 
which  I  am  endeavouring  to  defend,  should  allege  that 
it  has  long  ago  been  condemned  by  the  general  consent, 
and  suppressed  by  many  judicial  decisions,  this  will  be 
only  equivalent  to  saying,  that  it  has  been  sometimes 
violently  rejected  through  the  influence  and  power  of  its 
adversaries,  and  sometimes  insidiously  and  fraudulently 
oppressed  by  falsehoods,  artifices,  and  calumnies.  Vio- 
lence is  displayed,  when  sanguinary  sentences  are  passed 
against  it  without  the  cause  being  heard;  and  fraud,  when 
it  is  unjustly  accused  of  sedition  and  mischief.  Lest  any 
one  should  suppose  that  these  our  complaints  are  un- 
founded, you  yourself,  Sire,  can  bear  witness  of  the  false 
calumnies  with  which  you  hear  it  daily  traduced;  that  its 
only  tendency  is  to  wrest  the  sceptres  of  kings  out  of 
their  hands,  to  overturn  all  the  tribunals  and  judicial  pro- 
ceedings, to  subvert  all  orders  and  governments,  to  dis- 
turb the  peace  and  tranquillity  of  the  people,  to  abrogate 
all  laws,  to  scatter  all  properties  and  possessions,  and,  in 
a  word,  to  involve  every  thing  in  total  confusion.  And 
yet  you  hear  the  smallest  portion  of  what  is  alleged 
against  it:  for  such  horrible  things  are  circulated  among 
the  vulgar,  that  if  they  were  true,  the  whole  world  would 
justly  pronounce  it  and  its  abettors  worthy  of  a  thousand 
fires  and  gibbets.  Who  then  will  wonder  at  its  becoming 
:he  object  of  public  odium,  whore  credit  is  given  to  such 


DEDICATION.  7 

most  iniquitous  accusations?  This  is  the  cause  of  the  ge- 
neral consent  and  conspiracy  to  condemn  us  and  our  doc- 
trine. Hurried  away  with  this  impulse,  those  who  sit  in 
judgment  pronounce  for  sentences  the  prejudices  they 
brought  from  home  with  them:  and  think  their  duty  fully 
discharged,  if  they  condemn  none  to  be  punished  but 
such  as  are  convicted  by  their  own  confession,  or  by 
sufficient  proofs.  Convicted  of  what  crime?  Of  this  con- 
demned doctrine,  they  say.  But  with  what  justice  is  it 
condemned?  Now  the  erround  of  defence  was  not  to  abjure 

-  -, —  *j         —        — _j — — — — ^ ^^.^_ ^,^^ .  _ 

the  doctrine  itself,  but  to  maintain  its  truth.  On  this  sub- 
ject, however,  not  a  word  is  allowed  to  be  uttered. 

Wherefore  I  beseech  you,  Sire,  and  surely  it  is  not 
an  unreasonable  request,  to  take  upon  yourself  the  entire 
cognizance  of  this  cause,  which  has  hitherto  been  con- 
fusedly and  carelessly  agitated  without  any  order  of  law, 
and  with  outrageous  passion  rather  than  judicial  gravit}7. 
Think  not  that  I  am  now  meditating  my  own  individual 
defence,  in  order  to  effect  a  safe  return  to  my  native 
country:  for,  though  I  feel  the  affection  which  every  man 
ought  to  feel  for  it,  yet,  under  the  existing  circumstances, 
I  regret  not  my  removal  from  it.  But  I  plead  the  cause 
of  all  the  godly,  and  consequently  of  Christ  himself, 
which  having  been  in  these  times  persecuted  and  tram- 
pled on  in  all  possible  ways  in  your  kingdom,  now  lies  in 
a  most  deplorable  state,  and  this  indeed  rather  through 
the  tyranny  of  certain  Pharisees,  than  with  your  know- 
ledge. How  this  comes  to  pass  is  foreign  to  my  present 
purpose  to  say,  but  it  certainly  lies  in  a  most  afflicted 
state.  For  the  ungodly  have  gone  to  such  kngths,  that 
the  truth  of  Christ,  if  not  vanquished,  dissipated,  and 
entirely  destroyed,  is  buried,  as  it  were,  in  ignoble  ob- 
scurity, while  the  poor  despised  church  is  either  destroy- 
ed by  cruel  massacres,  or  driven  away  into  banishment, 


8  DEDICATION. 

or  menaced  and  terrified  into  total  silence.  And  still  they 
continue  their  wonted  madness  and  ferocity,  pushing 
violently  against  the  wall  already  bent,  and  finishing  the 
ruin  they  have  begun.  In  the  mean  time,  no  one  comes 
forward  to  plead  the  cause  against  such  furies.  If  there  be 
any  persons  desirous  of  appearing  most  favourable  to 
the  truth,  they  only  venture  an  opinion,  that  forgiveness 
should  be  extendttl  to  the  error  and  imprudence,  of  igno- 
rant people.  For  this  is  the  language  of  these  moderate 
men,  calling  that  error  and  imprudence  which  they  know 
to  be  the  certain  truth  of  God,  and  those  ignorant  people, 
whose  understanding  they  perceive  not  to  have  been  so 
despicable  to  Christ,  but  that  he  has  favoured  them  with 
the  mysteries  of  his  heavenly  wisdom.  Thus  all  are  asha- 
med of  the  Gospel.  But  it  shall  be  yours,  Sire,  not  to  turn 
away  your  ears  or  thoughts  from  so  just  a  defence,  espe- 
cially in  a  cause  of  such  importance  as  the  maintenance  of 
God's  glory  unimpaired  in  the  world,  the  preservation  of 
the  honour  of  divine  truth,  and  the  continuance  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  uninjured  among  us.  This  is  a  cause 
worthy  of  your  attention,  worthy  of  your  cognizance, 
worthy  of  your  throne.  This  consideration  constitutes 
true  royalty,  to  acknowledge  yourself  in  the  government 
of  your  kingdom  to  be  the  minister  of  God.  For  where 
the  glory  of  God  is  not  made  the  end  of  the  government, 
it  is  not  a  legitimate  sovereignty,  but  an  usurpation. 
And  he  is  deceived,  who  expects  lasting  prosperity  in 
that  kingdom  which  is  not  ruled  by  the  sceptre  of  God, 
that  is,  his  holy  word;  for  that  heavenly  oracle  cannot 
fail,  which  declares  that  "  where  there  is  no  vision  the 
people  perish."  (a)  Nor  should  you  be  seduced  from  this 
pursuit  by  a  contempt  of  our  meanness.  We  are  fully 
conscious  to  ourselves  how  very  mean  and  abject  we  are, 

(«)  Vrov.  xxix    1.°. 


DEDICATION.  9 

being  miserable  sinners  before  God,  and  accounted  most 
despicable  by  men;  being  (if  you  please)  the  refuse  of  the 
world,  deserving  of  the  vilest  appellations  that  can  be 
found;  so  that  nothing  remains  for  us  to  glory  in  before 
God,  but  his  mercy  alone,  by  which,  without  any  merit 
of  ours,  we  have  been  admitted  to  the  hope  of  eternal 
salvation,  and  before  men  nothing  but  our  weakness,  the 
slightest  confession  of  which  is  esteemed  by  them  as  the 
greatest  disgrace.  But  our  doctrine  must  stand,  exalted 
above  all  the  glory,  and  invincible  by  all  the  power  of 
the  world;  because  it  is  not  ours,  but  the  doctrine  of  the 
living  God,  and  of  his  Christ,  whom  the  Father  hath 
constituted  King,  that  he  may  have  dominion  from  sea 
to  sea,  and  from  the  river  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth, 
and  that  he  may  rule  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  whole 
earth,  with  its  strength  of  iron  and  brass,  with  its  splen- 
dour of  gold  and  silver,  smitten  by  the  rod  of  his  mouth, 
may  be  broken  to  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel:  (6)  for  thus 
do  the  prophets  foretel  the  magnificence  of  his  kingdom. 

Our  adversaries  reply,  that  our  pleading  the  word  of 
God  is  a  false  pretence,  and  that  we  are  nefarious  cor- 
ruptors  of  it.  But  that  this  is  not  only  a  malicious  calumny, 
but  egregious  impudence,  by  reading  our  confession, 
you  will,  in  your  wisdom,  be  able  to  judge.  Yet  some- 
thing farther  is  necessary  to  be  said,  to  excite  your  atten- 
tion, or  at  least  to  prepare  your  mind  for  this  perusal. 
Paul's  direction,  that  every  prophecy  be  framed  "  accor- 
ding to  the  analogy  of  faith,"  (c)  has  fixed  an  invariable 
standard  by  which  all  interpretation  of  Scripture  ought  to 
be  tried.  If  our  principles  be  examined  by  this  rule  of 
faith,  the  victory  is  ours.  For  what  is  more  consistent 
with  faith,  than  to  acknowledge  ourselves  naked  of  all 

(4)  Dan.  ii.  S4.  Isaiah  xi.  4.  Psalm  ii.  9.  fc)  Rom.  xii.  6* 

VOL.  I.  B 


10  DEDICATION. 

virtue,  that  we  may  be  clothed  by  God;  empty  of  all 
good,  that  we  may  be  filled  by  him;  slaves  to  sin,  that 
we  may  be  liberated  by  him;  blind,  that  we  may  be  en- 
lightened by  him;  lame,  that  we  may  be  guided  by  him; 
weak,  that  we  may  be  supported  by  him;  to  divest  our- 
selves of  all  ground  of  glorying,  that  he  alone  may  be 
eminently  glorious,  and  that  we  may  glory  in  him?  When 
we  advance  these  and  similar  sentiments,  they  interrupt 
us  with  complaints  that  this  is  the  way  to  overturn,  I 
know  not  what  blind  light  of  nature,  pretended  prepara- 
tions, free  will,  and  works  meritorious  of  eternal  salvation, 
together  with  all  their  supererogations;  because  they  can- 
not bear  that  the  praise  and  glory  of  all  goodness,  strength, 
righteousness,  and  wisdom,  should  remain  entirely  with 
God.  But  we  read  of  none  being  reproved  for  having 
drawn  too  freely  from  the  fountain  of  living  waters;  on 
the  contrary,  they  are  severely  upbraided  who  "  have 
hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns  that  can  hold 
no  water."  (d)  Again,  what  is  more  consistent  with  faith, 
than  to  assure  ourselves  of  God  being  a  propitious  Father, 
where  Christ  is  acknowledged  as  a  brother  and  Mediator? 
than  securely  to  expect  all  prosperity  and  happiness  from 
him,  whose  unspeakable  love  towards  us  went  so  far,  that 
"  he  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for 
us?"  (e)  than  to  rest  in  the  certain  expectation  of  salva- 
tion and  eternal  life,  when  we  reflect  upon  the  Father's 
gift  of  Christ,  in  whom  such  treasures  are  hidden?  Here 
they  oppose  us,  and  complain  that  this  certainty  of  confi- 
dence is  chargeable  with  arrogance  and  presumption! 
But  as  we  ought  to  presume  nothing  of  ourselves,  so  we 
should  presume  every  thing  of  God;  nor  are  we  divested 
of  vain  glory  for  any  other  reason  than  that  we  may 
learn  to  glory  in  the  Lord.  What  shall  I  say  more*3 

(</)  Jer.  ii.  13.  (V)  R0m.  viii.  32. 


DEDICATION.  11 

Review,  Sire,  all  the  parts  of  our  cause,  and  consider  us 
worse  than  the  most  abandoned  of  mankind,  unless  you 
clearly  discover  that  we  thus  "  both  labour  and  suffer 
reproach,  because  we  trust  in  the  living  God,"  (f]  be- 
cause we  believe  that  "  ihis  is  life  eternal,  to  know  the 
only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  hath  sent."  (g) 
For  this  hope  some  of  us  are  bound  in  chains,  others  are 
lashed  with  scourges,  others  are  carried  about  as  laughing- 
stocks,  others  are  outlawed,  others  are  cruelly  tortured, 
others  escape  by  flight,  but  we  are  all  reduced  to  extreme 
perplexities,  execrated  with  dreadful  curses,  cruelly  slan- 
dered, and  treated  with  the  greatest  indignities.  Now 
look  at  our  adversaries,  (I  speak  of  the  order  of  priests, 
at  whose  will  and  direction  others  carry  on  these  hostili- 
ties against  us,)  and  consider  a  little,  with  me,  by  what 
principle  they  are  actuated.  The  true  religion,  which  is 
tauglu  in  the  Scriptdres,  and  ought  to  be  universally 
maintained,  they  readily  permit  both  themselves  and 
others  to  be  ignorant  of,  and  to  treat  with  neglect  and 
contempt.  They  think  it  very  unimportant  what  any  one 
holds  or  denies  concerning  God  and  Christ,  provided  he 
submits  his  mind  with  an  implicit  faith  (as  they  call  it)  to 
the  judgment  of  the  Church.  Nor  are  they  much  affected, 
if  the  glory  of  God  happen  to  be  violated  with  open  blas- 
phemies, provided  no  one  lift  a  finger  against  the  primacy 
of  the  Apostolic  See,  and  the  authority  of  their  holy 
Mother  Church.  Why,  therefore,  do  they  contend  with 
such  extreme  bitterness  and  cruelty  for  the  mass,  purga- 
tory, pilgrimages,  and  similar  trifles,  and  deny  that  any 
piety  can  be  maintained  without  a  most  explicit  faith,  so 
to  speak,  in  these  things;  whereas  they  prove  none  of 
them  from  the  Word  of  God?  Why,  but  because  their 
belly  is  their  god,  their  kitchen  is  their  religion;  deprived 

(/)  1  Tim.  iv.  10.  (  jp)  John  xvii.  3. 


13  DEDICATION. 

of  which,  they  consider  themselves  no  longer  as  Chris- 
tians, or  even  as  men.  For  though  some  feast  themselves 
in  splendour,  and  others  subsist  on  slender  fare,  yet  all 
live  on  the  same  pot,  which  without  this  fuel  would  not 
only  cool,  but  completely  freeze.  Every  one  of  them 
therefore,  who  is  most  solicitous  for  his  belly,  is  found 
to  be  a  most  strenuous  champion  for  their  faith.  Indeed 
they  universally  exert  themselves  for  the  preservation  of 
their  kingdom,  and  the  repletion  of  their  belly,  but  not 
one  of  them  discovers  the  least  indication  of  sincere  zeal. 

Nor  do  their  attacks  on  our  doctrine  cease  here;  they 
urge  every  topic  of  accusation  and  abuse  to  render  it  an 
object  of  hatred  or  suspicion.  They  call  it  novel,  and  of 
recent  origin, — they  cavil  at  it  as  doubtful  and  uncertain, 
— they  inquire  by  what  miracles  it  is  confirmed, — they 
ask  whether  it  is  right  for  it  to  be  received  contrary  to 
the  consent  of  so  many  holy  fathers,  and  the  custom  of 
the  highest  antiquity? — they  urge  us  to  confess  that  it  is 
schismatical  in  stirring  up  opposition  against  the  Church, 
or  i hat  the  Church  was  wholly  extinct  for  many  ages, 
during  which  no  such  thing  was  known. — Lastly,  they 
say,  all  arguments  are  unnecessary,  for  that  its  nature 
may  be  determined  by  its  fruits,  since  it  has  produced 
such  a  multitude  of  sects,  so  many  factious  tumults,  and 
such  great  licentiousness  of  vices.  It  is  indeed  very  easy 
for  them  to  insult  a  deserted  cause  with  the  credulous 
and  ignorant  multitude,  but  if  we  had  also  the  liberty  of 
speaking  in  our  turn,  this  acrimony,  which  they  now  dis- 
cover in  violently  foaming  against  us  with  equal  licen- 
tiousness and  impunity,  would  presently  cool. 

In  the  first  place,  their  calling  it  novel  is  highly  inju- 
rious to  God,  whose  holy  word  deserves  not  to  be  ac- 


DEDICATION.  13 

cused  of  novelty.  I  have  no  doubt  of  its  being  new  to 
them,  to  whom  Jesus  Christ  and  the  Gospel  are  equally 
new.  But  those  who  know  the  antiquity  of  this  preaching 
of  Paul,  "  that  Jesus  Christ  died  for  our  sins,  and  rose 
again  for  our  justification,"  (h)  will  find  no  novelty  among 
us.  That  it  has  long  been  concealed,  buried,  and  unknown, 
is  the  crime  of  human  impiety.  Now  that  the  goodness 
of  God  has  restored  it  to  us,  it  ought  at  least  to  be  al- 
lowed its  just  claim  of  antiquity. 

From  the  same  source  of  ignorance  springs  the  notion 
of  its  being  doubtful  and  uncertain.  This  is  the  very  thing 
which  the  Lord  complains  of  by  his  prophets;  that  "the 
ox  knoweth  his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib," 
(i)  but  that  his  people  know  not  him.  But  however  they 
may  laugh  at  its  uncertainty;  if  they  were  called  to  seal 
their  own  doctrine  with  their  blood  and  lives,  it  would 
appear  how  much  they  value  it.  Very  different  is  our 
confidence,  which  dreads  neither  the  terrors  of  death,  nor 
even  the  tribunal  of  God. 

Their  requiring  miracles  of  us  is  altogether  unreason- 
able; for  we  forge  no  new  Gospel,  but  retain  the  very 
same,  whose  truth  was  confirmed  by  all  the  miracles  ever 
wrought  by  Christ  and  the  apostles.  But  they  have  this 
peculiar  advantage  above  us,  that  they  can  confirm  their 
faith  by  continual  miracles  even  to  this  day.  But  the  truth 
is,  they  allege  miracles  which  are  calculated  to  unsettle 
a  mind  otherwise  well  established,  they  are  so  frivolous 
and  ridiculous,  or  vain  and  false.  Nor,  if  they  were  ever 
so  preternatural,  ought  they  to  have  any  weight  in  op- 
position to  the  truth  of  God,  since  the  name  of  God  ought 
to  be  sanctified  in  all  places  and  at  all  times,  whether  by 

(h}  Rom.  iv.  25. 1  Cor.  xv.  3,  17.  (0  Isaiah  i.  3. 


14  DEDICATION. 

miraculous  events,  or  by  the  common  order  of  nature. 
This  fallacy  might  perhaps  be  more  specious,  if  the  Scrip- 
ture did  not  apprize  us  of  the  legitimate  end  and  use  of 
miracles.  For  Mark  informs  us,  that  the  miracles  which 
followed  the  preaching  of  the  apostles  were  wrought  in 
confirmation  (k)  of  it,  and  Luke  tells  us,  that  (/)  "  the 
Lord  gave  testimony  to  the  word  of  his  grace,"  when 
"  signs  and  wonders"  were  "  done  by  the  hands"  of  the 
apostles.  Very  similar  to  which  is  the  assertion  of  the 
aposile,  that  "  salvation  was  confirmed"  by  the  preach- 
ing  of  the  Gospel,  "  God  also  bearing  witness  with  signs 
and  wonders  and  divers  miracles."  (m)  But  those  things 
which  we  are  told  were  seals  of  the  Gospel,  shall  we 
pervert  to  undermine  the  faith  of  the  Gospel?  Those 
things  which  were  designed  to  be  testimonials  of  the  truth, 
shall  we  accommodate  to  the  confirmation  of  falsehoods? 
It  is  right,  therefore,  that  the  doctrine,  which,  according 
to  the  evangelist,  claims  the  first  attention,  be  examined 
and  tried  in  the  first  place,  and  if  it  be  approved,  then  it 
ought  to  derive  confirmation  from  miracles.  But  it  is  the 
characteristic  of  sound  doctrine,  given  by  Christ,  that  it 
tends  to  promote  not  the  glory  of  men,  but  the  glory  of 
God.  (n)  Christ  having  laid  down  this  proof  of  a  doctrine, 
it  is  wrong  to  esteem  those  as  miracles  which  are  directed 
to  any  other  end  than  the  glorification  of  the  name  of  God 
alone.  And  we  should  remember  that  Satan  has  his  won- 
ders, which  though  they  are  juggling  tricks  rather  than 
real  miracles,  are  such  as  to  delude  the  ignorant  and  in- 
experienced. Magicians  and  enchanters  have  always  been 
famous  for  miracles,  idolatry  has  been  supported  by  as- 
tonishing miracles,  and  yet  we  admit  them  not  as  proofs 
of  the  superstition  of  magicians  or  idolaters.  With  this 

(0  Mark  xvi.  20.          .  (/)  Acts  xiv.  3. 

*"»»)  Heb.  ii.  3,  4.  (»)  John  vii.  18.  viii.  50. 


DEDICATION.  IS 

engine  also  the  simplicity  of  the  vulgar  was  anciently  as- 
sailed by  the  Donatists,.  who  abounded  in  miracles.  We 
therefore  give  the  same  answer  now  to  our  adversaries 
as  Augustine  (o)  gave  to  the  Donatists,  that  our  Lord 
hath  cautioned  us  against  these  miracle-mongers  by  his 
prediction,  that  there  should  arise  false  prophets,  who,  by 
various  signs  and  lying  wonders,  should  "  deceive  (if 
possible)  the  very  elect."  (/>)  And  Paul  has  told  us,  that 
the  kingdom  of  Antichrist  would  be  "  with  all  power, 
and  signs,  and  lying  wonders."  (q]  But  these  piracies 
(they  say)  are  wrought,  not  by  idols,  or  sorcerers,  or  false 
prophets,  but  by  saints.  As  if  we  were  ignorant,  that  it  is 
a  stratagem  of  Satan  to  "  transform"  himself  "  into  an 
angel  of  light."  (r)  At  the  tomb  of  Jeremiah,  (s)  who  was 
buried  in  Egypt,  the  Egyptians  formerly  offered  sacri- 
fices and  other  divine  honours.  Was  not  this  abusing 
God's  holy  prophet  to  the  purposes  of  idolatry.  Yet  they 
supposed  this  veneration  of  his  sepulchre  to  be  rewarded 
with  a  cure  for  the  bite  of  serpents.  What  shall  we  say, 
but  that  it  has  been,  and  ever  will  be,  the  most  righteous 
vengeance  of  God  to  "  send  those  who  receive  not  the 
love  of  the  truth  strong  delusions,  that  they  should  believe 
a  lie?"  (t)  We  are  by  no  means  without  miracles,  and 
such  as  are  certain,  and  not  liable  to  cavils.  But  those 
under  which  they  shelter  themselves  are  mere  illusions 
of  Satan,  seducing  the  people  from  the  true  worship  of 
God  to  vanity. 

Another  calumny  is  their  charging  us  with  opposition 
to  the  fathers,  I  mean  the  writers  of  the  earlier  and  purer 
ages,  as  if  those  writers  were  abetters  of  their  impiety; 
whereas  if  the  contest  were  to  be  terminated  by  this  au- 

(o)  In  Joan,  tract.  13.  (/>)  Matt.  xxiv.  24. 

(?)  2  Thess.  ii.  9.  (r)  2  Cor.  xi.  14. 

(j)  Hierom.  in  praef.  Jerem.  (t)  2  Thess.  il.  10,  1!. 


Hi  UKDICATION. 

thority,  the  victory  in  most  parts  of  the  controversy,  to 
speak  in  the  most  modest  terms,  would  be  on  our  side. 
But  though  the  writings  of  those  fathers  contain  many 
wise  and  excellent  things,  yet  in  some  respects  they  have 
suffered  the  common  fate  of  mankind;  these  very  dutiful 
children  reverence  only  their  errors  and  mistakes,  but 
their  excellencies  they  either  overlook,  or  conceal,  or 
corrupt;  so  that  it  may  be  truly  said  to  be  their  only  study 
to  collect  dross  from  the  midst  of  gold.  Then  they  over- 
whelm us  with  senseless  clamours,  as  despisers  and  ene- 
mies of  the  fathers.  But  we  do  not  hold  them  in  such  con- 
tempt, but  that  if  it  were  consistent  with  my  present 
design,  I  could  easily  support  by  their  suffrages  most  of 
the  sentiments  that  we  now  maintain.  But  while  we  make 
use  of  their  writings,  we  always  remember  that  "all  things 
are  ours,"  to  serve  us,  not  to  have  dominion  over  us,  and 
that  "  we  are  Christ's"  (v)  alone,  and  owe  him  universal 
obedience.  He  who  neglects  this  distinction  will  have 
nothing  decided  in  religion;  since  those  holy  men  were 
ignorant  of  many  things,  frequently  at  variance  with  each 
other,  and  sometimes  even  inconsistent  with  themselves. 
There  is  great  reason,  they  say,  for  the  admonition  of 
Solomon,  "  not  to  transgress  or  remove  the  ancient  land- 
marks, which  our  fathers  have  set."  (w)  But  the  same 
rule  is  not  applicable  to  the  bounding  of  fields,  and  to  the 
obedience  of  faith,  which  ought  to  be  ready  to  "  forget 
her  own  people  and  her  father's  house."  (x)  But  if  they 
are  so  fond  of  allegorizing,  why  do  they  not  explain  the 
apostles,  rather  than  any  others,  to  be  those  fathers,  whose 
appointed  landmarks  it  is  so  unlawful  to  remove?  For  this 
is  the  interpretation  of  Jerome,  whose  works  they  have 
received  into  their  canons.  But  if  they  insist  on  preserving 

(«)  1  Cor.  iii.  21,  2".  CTC)  Prov.  xxii.  2K. 

f  >•)  Psalm  M!V.  10. 


DEDICATION.  17 

the  landmarks  of  those  whom  they  understand  to  be  in- 
tended, why  do  they  at  pleasure  so  freely  transgress  them 
themselves?  There  were  two  fathers  (y),  of  whom  one 
said,  that  our  God  neither  eats  nor  drinks,  and  therefore 
needs  neither  cups  nor  dishes;  the  other,  that  sacred  things 
require  no  gold,  and  that  gold  is  no  recommendation  of 
that  which  is  not  purchased  with  gold.  This  landmark 
therefore  is  transgressed  by  ihose  who  in  sacred  things 
are  so  much  delighted  with  gold,  silver,  ivory,  jewels, 
muslins,  and  silks,  and  suppose  that  God  is  not  rightly 
worshipped,  unless  all  these  things  abound  in  exquisite 
splendour,  or  rather  extravagant  profusion.  There  was  a 
father  (z)  who  said  he  freely  partook  of  flesh  on  a  day 
when  others  abstained  from  it,  because  he  was  a  Christian. 
They  transgress  the  landmarks  therefore  when  they  curse 
the  soul  that  tastes  flesh  in  Lent.  There  were  two  fathers 
(«),  of  whom  one  said,  that  a  monk  who  labours  not  with 
his  hands  is  on  a  level  with  a  cheat  or  a  robber;  and  the 
other,  that  it  is  unlawful  for  monks  to  live  on  what  is  not 
their  own,  notwithstanding  their  assiduity  in  contempla- 
tions, studies,  and  prayers:  and  they  have  transgressed 
this  landmark  by  placing  the  idle  and  distended  carcases 
of  monks  in  cells  and  brothels,  to  be  pampered  on  the 
substance  of  others.  There  was  a  father  (6)  who  said,  that 
to  see  a  painted  image  of  Christ,  or  of  any  saint,  in  the 
temples  of  Christians,  is  a  dreadful  abomination.  Nor  was 
this  merely  the  sentence  of  an  individual;  it  was  also 
decreed  by  an  ecclesiastical  council,  that  the  object  of 
worship  should  not  be  painted  on  the  walls.  They  are 
far  from  confining  themselves  within  these  landmarks, 

(;/)  Acat.  in  lib.  2.  cap.  16.  Trip.  Hist.    Amb.  lib.  2.  de  Off.  c.  28. 
(2)  Spiridion.  Trip.  Hist.  lib.  1.  c.  10. 
(«)  Trip.  Hist.  lib.  8.  c.  1.     August,  de  Opere  Mon.  c.  17. 
(6)  Epiph.  Epist.  ab.  Hier.  verg.  Con.  Eliber.  c.  36. 
VOL.  I.  C 


18  DEDICATION. 

for  every  corner  is  filled  with  images.  Another  father  (c) 
has  advised  that  after  having  discharged  the  office  of  hu- 
manity towards  the  dead  by  the  rites  of  sepulture,  we 
should  leave  them  to  their  repose.  They  break  through 
these  landmarks  by  inculcating  a  constant  solicitude  for 
the  dead.  There  was  oue  of  the  fathers  (d)  who  asserted 
that  the  substance  of  bread  and  wine  in  the  eucharist 
ceases  not,  but  remains,  just  as  the  substance  of  the  hu- 
man nature  remains  in  the  Lord  Christ  united  with  the 
divine.  They  transgress  this  landmark  therefore  by  pre- 
tending, that  on  the  words  of  the  Lord  being  recited,  the 
substance  of  bread  and  wine  ceases,  and  is  transubstan- 
tiated into  his  body  and  blood.  There  were  fathers  (e) 
who,  while  they  exhibited  to  the  universal  Church  only 
one  eucharist,  and  forbade  all  scandalous  and  immoral 
persons  to  approach  it,  at  the  same  time  severely  censured 
all  who  when  present  did  not  partake  of  it.  How  far  have 
they  removed  these  landmarks,  when  they  fill  not  only 
the  churches,  but  even  private  houses  with  their  masses, 
admit  all  who  choose  to  be  spectators  of  them,  and  every 
one  the  more  readily  in  proportion  to  the  magnitude  of 
his  contribution,  however  chargeable  with  impurity  and 
wickedness;  they  invite  none  to  faith   in  Christ  and  a 
faithful   participation  of  the  sacraments;  but  rather  for 
purposes  of  gain  bring  forward  their  own  work  instead  of 
the  grace  and  merit  of  Christ.  There  were  two  fathers, 
(f)  of  whom  one  contended  that  the  use  of  Christ's  sacred 
supper  should  be  wholly  forbidden  to  those  who,  content 
with  partaking  of  one  kind,  abstained  from  the  other;  the 
other  strenuously  maintained  that  Christian  people  ought 

(c)  Amb.  lib.  de  Abra.  1.  c.  7. 
((/)  Gelas.  Pap.  in  Cone.  Rom. 

(e}  Chrys.  in  1  cap.  Ephes.  Calix.  Papa  de  Cons,  ilist.  2. 
(/)  Geles.  can.  Comperimus  de  Cons.  dist.  2.  Cypr.  Epist.  2.  lib.  1.  de 
Laps. 


DEDICATION.  19 

not  to  be  refused  the  blood  of  their  Lord,  for  the  con- 
fession  of  whom  they  are  required  to  shed  their  own. 
These  landmarks  also  they  have  removed,  in  appointing, 
by  an  inviolable  law,  that  very  thing  which  the  former 
punished  with  excommunication,  and  the  latter  gave  a 
powerful  reason  for  disapproving.  There  was  a  father  (g-) 
who  asserted  the  temerity  of  deciding  on  either  side  of 
an  obscure  subject,  without  clear  and  evident  testimonies 
of  Scripture.  This  landmark  they  forgot  when  they  made 
so  many  constitutions,  canons,  and  judicial  determinations, 
without  any  authority  from  the  word  of  God.  There  was 
a  father  (h)  who  upbraided  Montanus  with  having,  among 
other  heresies,  been  the  first  imposer  of  laws  for  the  ob- 
servance of  fasts.  They  have  gone  far  beyond  this  land- 
mark also,  in  establishing  fasts  by  the  strictest  laws.  There 
was  a  father  (i)  who  denied  that  marriage  ought  to  be 
forbidden  to  the  ministers  of  the  Church,  and  pronounced 
cohabitation  with  a  wife  to  be  real  chastity;  and  there 
were  fathers  who  assented  to  his  judgment.  They  have 
transgressed  these  landmarks  by  enjoining  on  their  priests 
the  strictest  celibacy.  There  was  a  father  who  thought 
that  attention  should  be  paid  to  Christ  only,  of  whom  it 
is  said,  "  Hear  ye  him,"  and  that  no  regard  should  be  had 
to  what  others  before  us  have  either  said  or  done,  only 
to  what  has  been  commanded  by  Christ  who  is  pre- 
eminent over  all.  This  landmark  they  neither  prescribe 
to  themselves,  nor  permit  to  be  observed  by  others,  when 
they  set  up  over  themselves  and  others  any  masters  rather 
than  Christ.  There  was  a  father  (£)  who  contended  that 
the  Church  ought  not  to  take  the  precedence  of  Christ, 
because  his  judgment  is  always  according  to  truth,  but 

(,?)  August,  lib.  2.  de  Pec.  Mer.  cap.  ult. 

(/i)  Apollon.  de  quo  Eccl.  Hist.  lib.  5.  cap.  11, 12. 

(i)  Paphnut.  Trip.  Hist.  lib.  2.  c.  14,  12.     Cypr.  Epist.  2. 1.  2- 

(*)  Aug.  cap.  2-  contr.  Cresc.  Grammatic. 


jo  DEDICATION. 

ecclesiastical  judges,  like  other  men,  may  generally  be 
deceived.  Breaking  down  this  landmark  also,  they  scru- 
ple not  to  assert,  that  all  the  authority  of  the  Scripture 
depends  on  the  decision  of  the  Church.  All  the  fathers 
with  one  heart  and  voice  have  declared  it  execrable  and 
detestable  for  the  holy  word  of  God  to  be  contaminated 
with  the  subtleties  of  sophists,  and  perplexed  by  the 
wrangles  of  logicians.  Do  they  confine  themselves  within 
these  landmarks,  when  the  whole  business  of  their  lives 
is  to  involve  the  simplicity  of  the  Scripture  in  endless 
controversies,  and  worse  than  sophistical  wrangles?  So 
that  if  the  fathers  were  now  restored  to  life,  and  heard 
this  act  of  wrangling,  which  they  call  speculative  divinity, 
they  would  not  suspect  the  dispute  to  have  the  least  re- 
ference to  God.  But  if  I  would  enumerate  all  the  instances 
in  which  the  authority  of  the  fathers  is  insolently  rejected 
by  those  who  would  be  thought  their  dutiful  children, 
my  address  would  exceed  all  reasonable  bounds.  Months 
and  years  would  be  insufficient  for  me.  And  yet  such  is 
their  consummate  and  incorrigible  impudence,  they  dare 
to  censure  us  for  presuming  to  transgress  the  ancient 
landmarks. 

Nor  can  they  gain  any  advantage  against  us  by  their 
argument  from  custom.  For  if  we  were  compelled  to 
submit  to  custom,  we  should  have  to  complain  of  the 
greatest  injustice.  Indeed,  if  the  judgments  of  men  were 
correct,  custom  should  be  sought  among  the  good.  But 
the  fact  is  often  very  different.  'What  appears  to  be  prac- 
tised by  many  soon  obtains  the  force  of  a  custom.  And 
human  affairs  have  scarcely  ever  been  in  so  good  a  state 
as  for  the  majority  to  be  pleased  with  things  of  real  ex- 
cellence.) From  the  private  vices  of  multitudes,  therefore, 
has  arisen  public  error,  or  rather  a  common  agreement  of 
vices,  which  these  good  men  would  now  have  to  be  re- 


DEDICATION.  21 

ceived  as  law.  It  is  evident  to  all  who  can  see,  that  the 
world  is  inundated  with  more  than  an  ocean  of  evils,  that 
it  is  overrun  with  numerous  destructive  pests,  that  every 
thing  is  fast  verging  to  ruin,  so  that  we  must  altogether 
despair  of  human  affairs,  or  vigorously  and  even  violently 
oppose  such  immense  evils.  And  the  remedy  is  rejected 
for  no  other  reason,  but  because  we  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  the  evils  so  long.  But  let  public  error  be  tolera- 
ted in  human  society;  in  the  kingdom  of  God  nothing  but 
his  eternal  truth  should  be  heard  and  regarded,  which 
no  succession  of  years,  no  custom,  no  confederacy,  can 
circumscribe.  Thus  Isaiah  once  taught  the  chosen  people 
of  God:  "  Say  ye  not,  A  confederacy,  to  all  to  whom  this 
people  shall  say,  A  confederacy;"  that  is,  that  they  should 
not  unite  in  the  wicked  consent  of  the  people;  "  nor  fear 
their  fear,  nor  be  afraid,"  but  rather  u  sanctify  the  Lord 
of  hosts,"  that  he  might  "  be  their  fear  and  their  dread." 
(/)  Now  therefore  let  them,  if  they  please,  object  against 
us  past  ages  and  present  examples;  if  we  "  sanctify  the 
Lord  of  hosts,"  we  shall  not  be  much  afraid.  For, 
whether  many  ages  agree  in  similar  impiety,  he  is  mighty 
to  take  vengeance  on  the  third  and  fourth  generation;  or 
whether  the  whole  world  combine  in  the  same  iniquity, 
he  has  given  an  example  of  the  fatal  end  of  those  who  sin 
with  a  multitude,  by  destroying  all  men  with  a  deluge, 
and  preserving  Noah  and  his  small  family,  in  order  that 
his  individual  faith  might  condemn  the  whole  world. 
Lastly,  a  corrupt  custom  is  nothing  but  an  epidemical 
pestilence,  which  is  equally  fatal  to  its  objects,  though 
they  fall  with  a  multitude.  Besides,  they  ought  to  con- 
sider a  remark,  somewhere  made  by  Cyprian,  (m)  that 
persons  who  sin  through  ignorance,  though  they  cannot 

(0  Isai.  viii.  12,  13. 

(m)  Epist.  3.  lib.  2.  et  in  epist.  ad  Julian,  de  Hxret.  baptiz. 


DEDICATION. 

be  wholly  exculpated,  may  yet  be  considered  in  some 
degree  excusable;  but  those  who  obstinately  reject  the 
truth  offered  by  the  Divine  goodness,  are  without  any 
excuse  at  all. 

Nor  are  we  so  embarrassed  by  their  dilemmas  as  to  be 
obliged  to  confess,  either  that  the  Church  was  for  some 
time  extinct,  or  that  we  have  now  a  controversy  with  the 
Church.  The  Church  of  Christ  has  lived,  and  will  con- 
tinue to  live,  as  long  as  Christ  shall  reign  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father,  by  whose  hand  she  is  sustained,  by 
whose  protection  she  is  defended,  by  whose  power  she  is 
preserved  in  safety.  For  he  will  undoubtedly  perform 
what  he  once  promised,  to  be  with  his  people  "  even  to 
the  end  of  the  world."  (n)  We  have  no  quarrel  against 
the  Church,  for  with  one  consent  we  unite  with  all  the 
company  of  the  faithful  in  worshipping  and  adoring  the 
one  God  and  Christ  the  Lord,  as  he  has  been  adored  by 
all  the  pious  in  all  ages.  But  our  opponents  deviate 
widely  from  the  truth  when  they  acknowledge  no  Church 
but  what  is  visible  to  the  corporeal  eye,  and  endeavour 
to  circumscribe  it  by  those  limits  within  which  it  is  far 
from  being  included.  Our  controversy  turns  on  the  two 
following  points: — first,  they  contend  that  the  form  of 
the  Church  is  always  apparent  and  visible;  secondly, 
they  place  that  form  in  the  see  of  the  Roman  Church  and 
her  order  of  prelates.  We  assert,  on  the  contrary,  first, 
that  the  Church  may  exist  without  any  visible  form; 
secondly,  that  its  form  is  not  contained  in  that  external 
splendour  which  they  foolishly  admire,  but  is  distinguish- 
ed by  a  very  different  criterion,  viz.  the  pure  preaching  of 
God's  word,  and  the  legitimate  administration  of  the 
sacraments.  They  are  not  satisfied  unless  the  Church  can 

(n)  Matt,  xxviii.  CO 


DEDICATION.  23 

always  be  pointed  out  with  the  finger.  But  how  often 
among  the  Jewish  people  was  it  so  disorganized,  as  to 
have  no  visible  form  left?  What  splendid  form  do  we 
suppose  could  be  seen,  when  Elias  deplored  his  being 
left  alone?  (o)  How  long,  after  the  coming  of  Christ,  did 
it  remain  without  any  external  form?  How  often,  since 
that  time,  have  wars,  seditions,  and  heresies,  oppressed 
and  totally  obscured  it?  If  they  had  lived  at  that  period, 
would  they  have  believed  that  any  Church  existed?  Yet 
Elias  was  informed  that  there  were  "  left  seven  thousand" 
who  had  "  not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal."  Nor  should  we 
entertain  any  doubt  of  Christ's  having  always  reigned 
on  earth  ever  since  his  ascension  to  heaven.  But  if  the 
p  ious  at  such  periods  had  sought  for  any  form  evident  to 
their  senses,  must  not  their  hearts  have  been  quite  dis- 
couraged? Indeed  it  was  already  considered  by  Hilary  in 
his  day  as  a  grievous  error,  that  people  were  absorbed  in 
foolish  admiration  of  the  episcopal  dignity,  and  did  not 
perceive  the  dreadful  mischiefs  concealed  under  that  dis- 
guise. For  this  is  his  language:  (p)  "  One  thing  I  advise 
you,  beware  of  Antichrist,  for  you  have  an  improper  at- 
tachment to  walls;  your  veneration  for  the  Church  of  God 
is  misplaced  on  houses  and  buildings;  you  wrongly  intro- 
duce under  them  the  name  of  peace.  Is  there  any  doubt  that 
they  will  be  seats  of  Antichrist?  I  think  mountains,  woods, 
and  lakes,  prisons  and  whirlpools,  less  dangerous,  for  these 
were  the  scenes  of  retirement  or  banishment  in  which 
the  prophets  prophesied."  But  what  excites  the  venera- 
tion of  the  multitude  in  the  present  day  for  their  horned 
bishops,  but  the  supposition  that  those  are  the  holy- 
prelates  of  religion  whom  they  see  presiding  over  great 
cities?  Away  then  with  such  stupid  admiration.  Let  us 
rather  leave  this  to  the  Lord,  since  he  alone  "  knoweth 

(o)  I  Kipgs  xix.  14,  18.  (p}  Contr.  Auxtnt. 


24  DEDICATION. 

them  that  arc  his,"  (q]  and  sometimes  removes  from  hu- 
man observation  all  external  knowledge  of  his  Church.  I 
admit  this  to  be  a  dreadful  judgment  of  God  on  the  earth, 
but  if  it  be  deserved  by  the  impiety  of  men,  why  do  we 
attempt  to  resist  the  righteous  vengeance  of  God?  Thus 
the  Lord  punished  the  ingratitude  of  men  in  former  ages; 
for,  in  consequence  of  their  resistance  to  his  truth,  and 
extinction  of  the  light  he  had  given  them,  he  permitted 
them  to  be  blinded  by  sense,  deluded  by  absurd  false- 
hoods, and  immerged  in  profound  darkness,  so  that  there 
was  no  appearance  of  the  true  Church  left;  yet,  at  the 
same  time,  in  the  midst  of  darkness  and  errors,  he  pre- 
served his  scattered  and  concealed  people  from  total 
destruction.  Nor  is  this  to  be  wondered  at,  for  he  knows 
how  to  save  in  all  the  confusion  of  Babylon,  and  the 
flame  of  the  fiery  furnace.  But  how  dangerous  it  is  to 
estimate  the  form  of  the  Church  by  I  know  not  what 
vain  pomp,  which  they  contend  for;  I  shall  rather  briefly 
suggest  their  state  at  large,  lest  I  should  protract  this 
discourse  to  an  excessive  length.  The  Pope,  they  say, 
who  holds  the  Apostolic  see,  and  the  bishops  anointed 
and  consecrated  by  him,  provided  they  are  equipped  with 
mitres  and  crosiers,  represent  the  Church,  and  ought  to 
be  considered  as  the  Church.  Therefore  they  cannot  err. 
How  is  this? — Because  they  are  pastors  of  the  Church, 
and  consecrated  to  the  Lord.  And  did  not  the  pastoral 
character  belong  to  Aaron,  and  the  other  rulers  of  Israel? 
Yet  Aaron  and  his  sons,  after  their  designation  to  the 
priesthood,  fell  into  error  when  they  made  the  golden 
calf,  (r)  According  to  this  mode  of  reasoning,  why  should 
not  the  four  hundred  prophets,  who  lied  to  Ahab,  have 
represented  the  Church?  (s)  But  the  Church  remained 

(«•/)  2  Tim.  ii.  19.  (r)  Exod.  xxxii.  4. 

(*)  1  Kings  xxii.  6,  11—23. 


DEDICATION.  25 

on  the  side  of  Micaiah,  solitary  and  despised  as  he  was, 
and  out  of  his  mouth  proceeded  the  truth.  Did  not  those 
prophets  exhibit  both  the  name  and  appearance  of  the 
Church,  who  with  united  violence  rose  up  against  Jere- 
miah, and  threatened  and  boasted,  "  the  law  shall  not 
perish  from  the  priest,  nor  counsel  from  the  wise,  nor 
the  word  from  the  prophet?"  (t)  Jeremiah  is  sent  singly 
against  the  whole  multitude  of  prophets,  with  a  denun- 
ciation from  the  Lord,  that  the  law  shall  perish  from  the 
priest,  counsel  from  the  wise,  and  the  word  from  the 
prophet,  (v)  And  was  there  not  the  like  external  respec- 
tability in  the  council  convened  by  the  chief  priests, 
scribes,  and  pharisees,  to  consult  about  putting  Christ  to 
death?  (w )  Now  let  them  go  and  adhere  to  the  external 
appearance,  and  thereby  make  Christ  ancj.all  the  prophets 
schismatics,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  make  the  ministers 
of  Satan  instruments  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  But  if  they 
speak  their  real  sentiments,  let  them  answer  me  sincerely, 
what  nation  or  place  they  consider  as  the  seat  of  the 
Church,  from  the  time  when,  by  a  decree  of  the  council 
of  Basil,  Eugenius  was  deposed  and  degraded  from  the 
pontificate,  and  Amadeus  substituted  in  his  place.  They 
cannot  deny  that  the  council,  as  far  as  relates  to  external 
forms,  was  a  lawful  one,  and  summoned  not  only  by  one 
pope,  but  by  two.  There  Eugenius  was  pronounced 
guilty  of  schism,  rebellion,  and  obstinacy,  together  with 
all  the  host  of  cardinals  and  bishops,  who  had  joined  him 
in  attempting  a  dissolution  of  the  council.  Yet  afterwards, 
assisted  by  the  favour  of  princes,  he  regained  the  quiet 
possession  of  his  former  dignity.  That  election  of  Ama- 
deus, though  formally  made  by  the  authority  of  a  general 
and  holy  synod,  vanished  into  smoke,  and  he  was  appeas- 
ed with  a  cardinal's  hat,  like  a  barking  dog  with  a  morsel, 

(0  Jer.  xviii.  18.  (o)  Jer.  iv.  9.  (w)  Matt.  rxvi.  3,  4. 

VOL.  I.  D 


26  DEDICATION. 

From  the  bosom  of  those  heretics  and  rebels  have  pro- 
ceeded all  the  popes,  cardinals,  bishops,  abbots,  and 
priests,  ever  since.  Here  they  must  stop.  For  to  which 
party  will  they  give  the  title  of  the  Church?  Will  they 
deny  that  this  was  a  general  council,  which  wanted 
nothing  to  complete  its  external  majesty,  being  solemnly 
convened  by  two  papal  bulls,  consecrated  by  a  presiding 
legate  of  the  Roman  see,  and  well  regulated  in  every 
point  of  order,  and  invariably  preserving  the  same  dig- 
nity to  the  last?  Will  they  acknowledge  Eugenius  to  be 
a  schismatic,  with  all  his  adherents,  by  whom  they  have 
all  been  consecrated?  Either  therefore  let  them  give  a 
different  definition  of  the  form  of  the  Church,  or,  what- 
ever be  their  number,  we  shall  account  them  all  schis- 
matics, as  having  been  knowingly  and  voluntarily  ordain- 
ed by  heretics.  But  if  it  had  never  been  ascertained 
before,  that  the  Church  is  not  confined  to  external  pomps, 
they  would  themselves  afford  us  abundant  proof  of  it, 
who  have  so  long  superciliously  exhibited  themselves  to 
the  world  under  the  title  of  the  Church,  though  they 
were  at  the  same  time  the  deadly  plagues  of  it.  I  speak 
not  of  their  morals,  and  those  tragical  exploits  with 
which  all  their  lives  abound,  since  they  profess  themselves 
to  be  Pharisees,  who  are  to  be  heard  and  not  imitated. 
I  refer  to  the  very  doctrine  itself,  on  which  they  found 
their  claim  to  be  considered  as  the  Church.  If  you  devote 
a  portion  of  your  leisure,  Sire,  to  the  perusal  of  our 
writings,  you  will  clearly  discover  that  doctrine  to  be  a 
fatal  pestilence  of  souls,  the  firebrand,  ruin,  and  destruc- 
tion of  the  Church. 

Finally,  they  betray  great  want  of  candour,  by  invidi- 
ously repeating  what  great  commotions,  tumults,  and 
contentions  have  attended  the  preaching  of  our  doctrine, 
and  what  effects  it  produces  in  many  persons.  For  it  is 


DEDICATION.  27 

unfair  to  charge  it  with  those  evils  which  ought  to  be 
attributed  to  the  malice  of  Satan*  It  is  the  native  property 
of  the  Divine  word,  never  to  make  its  appearance  without 
disturbing  Satan,  and  rousing  his  opposition.  This  is  the 
most  certain  and  unequivocal  criterion  by  which  it  is  dis- 
tinguished from  false  doctrines,  which  are  easily  broached 
when  they  are  heard  with  general  attention,  and  received 
with  applauses  by  the  world.  Thus  in  some  ages,  when 
all  things  were  immerged  in  profound  darkness,  the  prince 
of  this  world  amused  and  diverted  himself  with  the  gene- 
rality of  mankind,  and,  like  another  Sardanapalus,  gave 
himself  up  to  his  ease  and  pleasures  in  perfect  peace;  for 
what  would  he  do  but  amuse  and  divert  himself,  in  the 
quiet  and  undisturbed  possession  of  his  kingdom?  But 
when  the  light  shining  from  above  dissipated  a  portion  of 
his  darkness,  when  that  Mighty  One  alarmed  and  assaulted 
his  kingdom,  then  he  began  to  shake  off  his  wonted  torpor, 
and  to  hurry  on  his  armour.  First,  indeed,  he  stirred  up 
the  power  of  men  to  suppress  the  truth  by  violence  at 
its  first  appearance,  and  when  this  proved  ineffectual,  he 
had  recourse  to  subtlety.  He  made  the  Catabaptists,  and 
other  infamous  characters,  the  instruments  of  exciting 
dissentions  and  doctrinal  controversies,  with  a  view  to 
obscure  and  finally  to  extinguish  it.  And  now  he  continues 
to  attack  it  in  both  ways;  for  he  endeavours  to  root  up 
this  genuine  seed  by  means  of  human  force,  and  at  the 
same  time  tries  every  effort  to  choke  it  with  his  tares, 
that  it  may  not  grow  and  produce  fruit.  But  all  his  at- 
tempts will  be  vain,  if  we  attend  to  the  admonitions  of 
the  Lord,  who  hath  long  ago  made  us  acquainted  with 
his  devices,  that  we  might  not  be  caught  by  him  unawares, 
and  has  armed  us  with  sufficient  means  of  defence  against 
all  his  assaults.  But  to  charge  the  word  of  God  with  the 
odium  of  seditions,  excited  against  it  by  wicked  and  re- 
bellious men,  or  of  sects  raised  by  impostors;  is  not  this 


U8  DEDICATION. 

extreme  malignity?  Yet  it  is  not  without  example  in  for- 
mer  times.  Elias  was  asked  whether  it  was  not  he  "  that 
troubled  Israel."  (or)  Christ  was  represented  by  the  Jews 
as  guilty  of  sedition,  (y)  The  apostles  were  accused  of 
stirring  up  popular  commotions,  (z)  Wherein  does  this 
differ  from  the  conduct  of  those,  who  at  the  present  day 
impute  to  us  all  the  disturbances,  tumults,  and  contentions 
that  break  out  against  us?  But  the  proper  answer  to  such 
accusations  has  been  taught  us  by  Elias,  that  the  dissemi- 
nation of  errors  and  the  raising  of  tumults  is  not  charge- 
able on  us,  but  on  those  who  are  resisting  the  power  of 
God.  But  as  this  one  reply  is  sufficient  to  repress  their 
temerity,  so  on  the  other  hand  we  must  meet  the  weak- 
ness of  some  persons,  who  are  frequently  disturbed  with 
such  offences,  and  become  unsettled  and  wavering  in  their 
minds.  Now  that  they  may  not  stumble  and  fall  amidst 
this  agitation  and  perplexity,  let  them  know  that  the  apos- 
tles in  their  day  experienced  the  same  things  that  now 
befal  us.  There  were  "  unlearned  and  unstable"  men, 
Peter  says,  who  "  wrested"  the  inspired  writings  of  Paul 
"  to  their  own  destruction."  (a)  There  were  despisers  of 
God,  who  when  they  heard  that  "  where  sin  abounded 
grace  did  much  more  abound,"  immediately  concluded, 
Let  us  "  continue  in  sin,  that  grace  may  abound."  When 
they  heard  that  the  faithful  were  "not  under  the  law," 
they  immediately  croaked,  "  we  will  sin,  because  we  are 
not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace."  (I))  There  were 
some  who  accused  him  as  an  encourager  of  sin.  Many 
false  apostles  crept  in,  to  destroy  the  churches  he  had 
raised.  "  Some  preached"  the  gospel  "  of  envy  and  strife, 
not  in  sincerity,"  maliciously  "  supposing  to  add  affliction 
to  his  bonds."  (c)  In  some  places  the  gospel  was  attended 
with  little  benefit.  "  All  were  seeking  their  own,  not  the 

(*•)  1  Kings  xviii.  17.        (y)  Luke  xxiii.  2,  5.        (z)  Acts  xvii.  6.  xxiv.  5. 
1'et.iii.  16.  (t)  Rom.  v.  20.  vi.  1,  U,  15.        (c)  Phil.  i.  15,  16. 


DEDICATION.  29 

things  of  Jesus  Christ."  (d)  Others  returned  "  like  dogs 
to  their  vomit,  and  like  swine  to  their  wallowing  in  the 
mire."  (<?)  Many  perverted  the  liberty  of  the  spirit  into 
the  licentiousness  of  the  flesh.  Many  insinuated  them- 
selves as  brethren,  who  afterwards  brought  the  pious  into 
dangers.  Various  contentions  were  excited  among  the 
brethren  themselves.  What  was  to  be  done  by  the  apostles 
in  such  circumstances?  Should  they  not  have  dissembled 
for  a  time,  or  rather  have  rejected  and  deserted  that  Gos- 
pel which  appeared  to  be  the  nursery  of  so  many  disputes, 
the  cause  of  so  many  dangers,  the  occasion  of  so  many 
offences?  But  in  such  difficulties  as  these  their  minds 
were  relieved  by  this  reflection,  that  Christ  is  the  "  stone 
of  stumbling  and  rock  of  offence,"  (f)  "  set  for  the  fall 
and  rising  again  of  many,  and  for  a  sign  which  shall  be 
spoken  against;"  (g]  and  armed  with  this  confidence,  they 
proceeded  boldly  through  all  the  dangers  of  tumults  and 
offences.  The  same  consideration  should  support  us,  since 
Paul  declares  it  to  be  the  perpetual  character  of  the  Gos- 
pel, that  it  is  "  a  savour  of  death  unto  death  in  them  that 
perish,"  (h)  although  it  was  rather  given  us  to  be  the 
"  savour  of  life  unto  life,"  and  "  the  power  of  God  to" 
the  "  salvation"  of  the  faithful:  (i)  which  we  also  should 
certainly  experience  it  to  be,  if  we  did  not  corrupt  this 
eminent  gift  of  God  by  our  ingratitude,  and  pervert  to 
our  destruction  what  ought  to  be  a  principal  instrument 
of  our  salvation. 

But  I  return  to  you,  Sire.  Let  not  your  Majesty  be  at 
all  moved  by  those  groundless  accusations  with  which 
our  adversaries  endeavour  to  terrify  you;  as  that  the  sole 
tendency  and  design  of  this  new  Gospel,  for  so  they  call 
it,  is  to  furnish  a  pretext  for  seditions,  and  to  gain  impunity 

(d)  Phil.  ii.  21.  (<?)  2  Pet.  ii.  22.  (/)  1  Pet.  ii.  8. 

(§0  Luke  ii.  34.  (A)' 2  Cor.  ii.  15,  m  (/)  Rom.  i.  16. 


JO  DEDICATION. 

for  all  crimes.  "  For  God  is  not  the  author  of  confusion, 
but  of  peace;"  (k)  nor  is  "  the  Son  of  God,"  who  came 
to  "  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil,  the  minister  of  sin." 
(/)  And  it  is  unjust  to  charge  us  with  such  motives  and 
designs,  of  which  we  have  never  given  cause  for  the  least 
suspicion.  Is  it  probable  that  we  are  meditating  the  sub- 
version of  kingdoms?  We,  who  were  never  heard  to  utter 
a  factious  word,  whose  lives  were  ever  known  to  be  peace- 
able and  honest  while  we  lived  under  your  government, 
and  who,  even  now  in  our  exile,  cease  not  to  pray  for  all 
prosperity  to  attend  yourself  and  your  kingdom!  Is  it  pro- 
bable that  we  are  seeking  an  unlimited  licence  to  commit 
crimes  with  impunity?  in  whose  conduct,  though  many 
things  may  be  blamed,  yet  there  is  nothing  worthy  of  such 
severe  reproach!  Nor  have  we,  by  Divine  Grace,  profited 
so  little  in  the  Gospel,  but  that  our  life  may  be  an  example 
to  our  detractors  of  chastity,  liberality,  mercy,  temperance, 
patience,  modesty,  and  every  other  virtue.  It  is  an  undeni- 
able fact,  that  we  sincerely  fear  and  worship  God,  whose 
name  we  desire  to  be  sanctified  both  by  our  life  and  by 
our  death;  and  envy  itself  is  constrained  to  bear  testimony 
to  the  innocence  and  civil  integrity  of  some  of  us,  who 
have  suffered  the  punishment  of  death,  for  that  very  thing 
which  ought  to  be  accounted  their  highest  praise.  But  if 
the  Gospel  be  made  a  pretext  for  tumults,  which  has  not 
yet  happened  in  your  kingdom;  if  any  persons  make  the 
liberty  of  divine  grace  an  excuse  for  the  licentiousness  of 
their  vices,  of  whom  I  have  known  many;  there  are  laws 
and  legal  penalties,  by  which  they  may  be  punished  ac- 
cording to  their  deserts:  only  let  not  the  Gospel  of  God 
be  reproached  for  the  crimes  of  wicked  men.  You  have 
now,  Sire,  the  virulent  iniquity  of  our  calumniators  laid 
before  you  in  a  sufficient  number  of  instances,  that  you 

(*)  1  Cor.  x\v.  33.  (/)  1  John  iii.  8.  G:i!.  ii.  17. 


DEDICATION.  31 

may  not  receive  their  accusations  with  too  credulous  an 
ear. — I  fear  I  have  gone  too  much  into  the  detail,  as  this 
preface  already  approaches  the  size  of  a  full  apology; 
whereas  I  intended  it  not  to  contain  our  defence,  but  only 
to  prepare  your  mind  to  attend  to  the  pleading  of  our 
cause;  for  though  you  are  now  averse  and  alienated  from 
us,  and  even  inflamed  against  us,  we  despair  not  of  regain- 
ing your  favour,  if  you  will  only  once  read  with  calmness 
and  composure  this  our  confession,  which  we  intend  as 
our  defence  before  your  Majesty.  But,  on  the  contrary, 
if  your  ears  are  so  pre- occupied  with  the  whispers  of  the 
malevolent,  as  to  leave  no  opportunity  for  the  accused  to 
speak  for  themselves,  and  if  those  outrageous  furies,  with 
your  connivance,  continue  to  persecute  with  imprison- 
ments, scourges,  tortures,  confiscations,  and  flames,  we 
shall  indeed,  like  sheep  destined  to  the  slaughter,  be  re- 
duced to  the  greatest  extremities.  [Yet  shall  we  in  patience 
possess  our  souls,  and  wait  for  the  mighty  hand  of  the 
Lord,  which  undoubtedly  will  in  time  appear,  and  shew 
itself  armed  for  the  deliverance  of  the  poor  from  their 
affliction,  and  for  the  punishment  of  their  despisers,  who 
now  exult  in  such  perfect  security.)  May  the  Lord,  the 
King  of  kings,  establish  your  throne  with  righteousness, 
and  your  kingdom  with  equity. 

Rasil,  1st  jlugust,  1536. 


UKNERAL  SYLLABUS. 


I  HE  design  of  the  Author  in  these  Christian  Institutes  is 
twofold,  relating,  First,  to  the  knowledge  of  God,  as  the  wat 
to  attain  a  blessed  immortality;  and,  in  connection  with,  and 
subservience  to  this,  Secondly,  to  the  knowledge  of  jourselves. 
In  the  prosecution  of  this  design,  he  strictly  follows  the 
method  of  the  Apostles'  Creed,  as  being  most  familiar  to  all 
Christians.  For  as  the  Creed  consists  of  four  parts,  the  first 
relating  to  God  the  Father,  the  second  to  the  Son,  the  third 
to  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  fourth  to  the  Church;  so  the  Author 
distributes  the  whole  of  this  work  into  Four  Books,  correspond- 
ing respectively  to  the  four  parts  of  the  Creed;  as  will  clearly 
appear  from  the  following  detail. 

I.  The  first  article  of  the  Creed  relates  to  God  the  Father, 
and  to  the  creation,  conservation,  and  government  of  all  things, 
which  are  included  in  his  omnipotence. 

So  the  first  book  is  on  the  knowledge  of  God,  considered  as 
the  Creator,  Preserver,  and  Governor  of  the  universe  at  large, 
and  of  every  thing  contained  in  it.  It  shews  both  the  nature 
and  tendency  of  the  true  knowledge  of  the  Creator — That  this 
is  not  learned  in  the  schools,  but  that  every  man  from  his  birth 
is  self-taught  it — Yet  that  the  depravity  of  men  is  so  great  as  to 
corrupt  and  extinguish  this  knowledge,  partly  by  ignorance, 
partly  by  wickedness;  so  that  it  neither  leads  him  to  glorify 
God  as  he  ought,  nor  conducts  him  to  the  attainment  of  happi- 
ness— And  though  this  internal  knowledge  is  assisted  by  all 
the  creatures  around,  which  serve  as  a  mirror  to  display  the 

VOL.  I.  K 


34  GENERAL  SYLLABUS. 

Divine  perfections,  yet  that  man  doe-s  not  profit  by  it — There- 
fore, that  to  those,  whom  it  is  God's  will  to  bring  to  an  intimate 
and  saving  knowledge  of  himself,  he  gives  his  written  word; 
which  intro  \\\:< ~s  obsc  rvations  on  the  sacred  Scripture— That 
he  has  therein  revealed  himself;  that  not  the  Father  only,  but 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  united,  is  the  Creator  of 
heaven  and  earth;  whom  neither  the  knowledge  innate  by 
nature,  nor  the  very  beautiful  mirror  displayed  to  us  in  the 
world,  can,  in  consequence  of  our  depravity,  teach  us  to  know 
so  as  to  glorii'y  him.  This  gives  occasion  for  treating  of  the 
revelation  of  God  in  the  Scripture,  of  the  unity  of  the  Divine 
Essence,  and  the  trinity  cf  Persons. — To  prevent  man  from 
attributing  to  God  the  blame  of  his  own  voluntary  blindness, 
the  Author  shews  the  state  of  man  at  his  creation,  and  treats 
of  the  image  of  God,  free- v.- ill,  and  the  primitive  integrity  of 
nature. — Having  finished  the  subject  of  creation,  he  proceeds 
to  the  cotii-iei  vat-on  and  government  of  all  things,  concluding 
the  first  bouk  with  a  full  discussion  of  the  doctrine  of  divine 
providence. 

II.  But  since  man  is  fallen  by  sin  from  the  state  in  which 
he  was  created,  it  is  necessary  to  come  to  Christ.  Therefore 
it  follows  in  the  Creed,  "  And  in  Jesus  Christ  his  only  Son 
our  Lord,"  Jkc. 

So  in  the  second  book  of  the  Institutes  our  author  treats  of 
the  knowledge  of  God,  as  the  Redeemer  in  Christ;  and  having 
shewn  the  fall  of  man,  leads  him  to  Christ  the  Mediator.  Here 
he  states  the  doctrine  of  original  sin — that  man  possesses  no 
inh  rent  strength  to  enable  him  to  deliver  himself  from  sin 
and  the  impending  curse,  but  that  on  the  contrary  nothing  can 
proceed  from  him,  antecedently  to  reconciliation  and  renova- 
tion, but  \\hat  is  deserving  of  condemnation — Therefore,  that 
man,  being  utterly  lost  in  himself,  and  incapable  of  conceiving 
even  a  good  thought  by  which  he  may  restore  himself  or  per- 
form actions  acceptable  to  God,  he  must  seek  redemption  out 
ot  himself  in  Christ — That  the  law  was  given  for  this  purpose, 
not  to  confine  its  observers  to  itself,  but  to  conduct  them  to 
Christ;  which  gives  occasion  to  introduce  an  exposition  of 
the  Moral  Law — That  he  was  known,  as  the  Author  of  salva- 


GENERAL   SYLLABUS.  35 

tion,  to  the  Jews  under  the  Law,  but  more  fully  under  the 
Gospel,  in  which  he  is  manifested  to  the  world. — Hence  fol- 
lows the  doctrine  of  the  similarity  and  difference  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments,  of  the  Law  and  Gospel. — It  is  next 
stated,  that  in  order  to  the  complete  accomplishment  of  salva- 
tion, it  was  necessary  for  the  eternal  Son  of  God  to  become 
man,  and  that  he  actually  assumed  a  real  human  nature: — it 
is  also  shewn  how  these  two  natures  constitute  one  person—- 
That the  office  of  Christ,  appointed  for  the  acquisition  and  ap- 
plication of  complete  salvation  by  his  merit  and  efficacy,  is 
sacerdotal,  regal,  and  prophetical. — Next  follows  the  manner 
in  which  Christ  executed  his  office,  or  actually  performed  the 
part  of  a  Mediator,  being  an  exposition  of  the  Articles  respect- 
ing his  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension  to  heaven. —  Lastly, 
the  Author  shews  the  truth  and  propriety  of  affirming,  that 
Christ  merited  the  grace  of  God  and  salvation  for  us. 

III.  As  long  as  Christ  is  separate  from  us,  he  profits  us 
nothing.  Hence  the  necessity  of  our  being  ingrafted  into  him,  as 
branches  into  a  vine.  Therefore  the  doctrine  concerning  Christ 
is  followed,  in  the  third  part  of  the  Creed,  by  this  clause, 
"  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Spirit,"  as  being  the  bond  of  union 
between  us  and  Christ. 

So  in  the  third  book  our  Author  treats  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
who  unites  us  to  Christ — and  consequently  of  faith,  by  which, 
we  embrace  Christ,  with  his  twofold  benefit,  free  righteousness, 
which  he  imputes  to  vis,  and  regeneration,  which  he  commences 

within  us,  by   bestowing  repentance  upon  us And  to  shew 

that  we  have  not  the  least  room  to  glory  in  such  faith  as  is 
unconnected  with  the  pursuit  of  repentance,  before  proceeding 
to  the  full  discussion  of  justification,  he  treats  at  large  of  re- 
pentance and  the  continual  exercise  of  it,  which  Christ,  appre- 
hended by  faith,  produces  in  us  by  his  Spirit. — He  next  fully 
discusses  the  first  and  chief  benefit  of  Christ,  when  united  to 
us  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  is,  justification — and  then  treats 
of  prayer,  which  resembles  the  hand  that  actually  receives 
those  blessings  to  be  enjoyed,  which  faith  knows,  from  the 
word  of  promise,  to  be  laid  up  with  God  for  our  use. — But  as 
all  men  are  not  united  to  Christ,  the  sole  Author  of  salvation, 


36  GENERAL   SYLLABUS. 

by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  creates  ;mcl  preserves  faith  in  us,  he 
treats  of  God's  eternal  election;  which  is  the  cause  that  we,  in 
whom  he  foresaw  no  good  but  what  he  intended  freely  to 
bestow,  have  been  favoured  with  the  gift  of  Christ,  and  united 
to  God  by  the  effectual  call  of  the  Gospel. — Lastly,  he  treats 
of  complete  regeneration,  and  the  fruition  of  happiness;  that 
is,  the  final  resurrection,  towards  which  our  eyes  must  be 
directed,  since  in  this  world  the  felicity  of  the  pious,  in  respect 
of  enjoyment,  is  only  begun. 

IV.  But  as  the  Holy  Spirit  does  not  unite  all  men  to  Christ, 
or  make  them  partakers  of  faith,  and  on  those  to  whom  he  im- 
parts it  he  does  not  ordinarily  bestow  it  without  means,  but 
employs  for  this  purpose  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  and  the 
use  of  the  sacraments,  with  the  administration  of  all  discipline, 
therefore  it  follows  in  the  Creed,  "  I  believe  in  the  Holy 
Catholic  Church,"  whom,  though  involved  in  eternal  death, 
yet  in  pursuance  of  the  gratuitous  election,  God  has  freely  re- 
conciled to  himself  in  Christ,  and  made  partakers  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that,  being  ingrafted  into  Christ,  they  may  have  com- 
munion with  him  as  their  head,  whence  flows  a  perpetual 
remission  of  sins,  and  a  full  restoration  to  eternal  life. 

So  in  the  fourth  book  our  author  treats  of  the  Church — 
then  of  the  means  used  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  effectually  calling 
from  spiritual  death,  and  preserving  the  Church — the  word 
and  sacraments — baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper — which  are 
as  it  were  Christ's  regal  sceptre,  by  which  he  commences  his 
spiritual  reign  in  the  Church  by  the  energy  of  his  Spirit,  and 
carries  it  forwards  from  day  to  day  during  the  present  life,  after 
the  close  of  which  he  perfects  it  without  means. 

And  as  political  institutions  are  the  asylums  of  the  Church 
in  this  life,  though  civil  government  is  distinct  from  the  spiritual 
kingdom  of  Christ,  our  Author  instructs  us  respecting  it  as  a 
signal  blessing  of  God,  which  the  Church  ought  to  acknow- 
ledge with  gratitude  of  heart,  till  we  are  called  out  of  this 
transitory  state  to  the  heavenly  inheritance,  where  God  will 
be  all  in  all. 

This  is  the  plan  of  the  Institutes,  which  may  be  comprised 
in  the  following  brief  summary. 


GENERAL   SYLLABUS.  37 

Man,  created  originally  upright,  being  afterwards  ruined, 
not  partially,  but  totally,  finds  salvation  out  of  himself,  wholly 
in  Christ;  to  whom  being  united  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  freely 
bestowed,  without  any  regard  of  future  works,  he  enjoys  in 
him  a  twofold  benefit,  the  perfect  imputation  of  righteousness, 
which  attends  him  to  the  grave,  and  the  commencement  of 
sanctification,  which  he  daily  increases,  till  at  length  he  com- 
pletes it  at  the  day  of  regeneration  or  resurrection  of  the  body, 
so  that  in  eternal  life  and  the  heavenly  inheritance  his  praises 
are  celebrated  for  such  stupendous  mercy. 


CONTENTS. 


BOOK  I. 

CHAP.  I.  The  Connection  between  the  Knowledge  of  God 
and  the  Knowledge  of  ourselves. 

CHAP.  II.  The  Nature  and  Tendency  of  the  Knowledge  of 
God. 

CHAP.  III.  The  Mind  of  Man  naturally  endued  with  the 
Knowledge  of  God. 

CHAP.  IV.  This  Knowledge  extinguished,  or  corrupted, 
partly  by  Ignorance,  partly  by  Wickedness. 

CHAP.  V.  The  Knowledge  of  God  conspicuous  in  the  Forma- 
tion and  continual  Government  of  the  World. 

CHAP.  VI.  The  Guidance  and  Teaching  of  the  Scripture 
necessary  to  lead  to  the  knowledge  of  God  the  Creator. 

CHAP.  VII.  The  Testimony  of  the  Spirit  necessary  to  con- 
firm the  Scripture,  in  order  to  the  complete  Establishment 
of  its  Authority.  The  suspension  of  its  Authority  on  the 
Judgment  of  the  Church,  an  impious  Fiction. 

CHAP.  VIII.  Rational  Proofs  to  establish  the  Belief  of  the 

Scripture. 

CHAP.  IX.  The  Fanaticism  which  discards  the  Scripture, 
under  the  pretence  of  resorting  to  immediate  Revelations, 
subversive  of  every  Principle  of  Piety. 

CHAP.  X.  All  idolatrous  Worship  discountenanced  in  the 
Scripture,  by  its  exclusive  Opposition  of  the  true  God  to  all 
the  fictitious  Deities  of  the  Heathens. 

CHAP.  XL  Unlawfulness  of  ascribing  to  God  a  visible  Form, 
All  Idolatry  a  Defection  from  the  true  God. 


40  CONTENTS. 

CHAP.    XII.   God  contradistinguished  from    Idols,  that  he 

may  be  solely  and  supremely  worshipped. 
CHAP.  XIII.  One  Divine  Essence  containing  Three  Persons 

taught  in  the  Scriptures  from  the  beginning. 
CHAP.  XIV.  The  true  God  distinguished  in  the  Scripture 

from  all  fictitious  ones  by  the  Creation  of  the  World. 
CHAP.  XV.  The  State  of  Man  at  his  Creation;  the  Faculties 

of  the  Soul,  the  Divine  Image,  Frec-Will,  and  the  original 

Purity  of  his  Nature. 
CHAP.  XVI.  God's  Preservation  and  Support  of  the  World 

by  his  Power,  and  his  Government  of  every  Part  of  it  by  his 

Providence. 
CHAP.   XVII.  The  proper  Application  of  this   Doctrine  to 

render  it  useful  to  us. 
CHAP.  XVIII.  God  uses  the  Agency  of  the   Impious,  and 

inclines  their  Minds  to  execute  his  Judgments,  yet  without 

the  least  Stain  of  his  perfect  Purity. 


BOOK  II. 

CHAP.  I.  The  Fall  and  Defection  of  Adam  the  Cause  of 
the  Curse  inflicted  on  all  Mankind,  and  of  the  Degeneracy 
from  their  primitive  Condition.  The  Doctrine  of  Original 
Sin. 

GHAP.  II.  Man  in  his  present  State  despoiled  of  Freedom 
of  Will,  and  subjected  to  a  miserable  Slavery. 

CHAP.  III.  Every  thing  that  proceeds  from  the  corrupt 
Nature  of  Man  worthy  of  Condemnation. 

CHAP.  IV.  The  Operation  of  God  in  the  Hearts  of  Men. 

«  HAP.  V.  A  Refutation  of  the  Objections  commonly  urged 
m  the  support  of  Free -Will. 


CONTENTS.  41 

CHAP.    VI.    Redemption    for  lost    Man  to   be   sought   in 

Christ. 
CHAP.   VII.  The   Law  given,  not  to   confine  the  ancient 

People  to  itself,  but  to  encourage  their  Hope  of  Salvation 

in  Christ,  till  the  time  of  his  Coming. 
CHAP.  VIII.  An  Exposition  of  the  Moral  Law. 
CHAP.  IX.  Christ,  though  known  to  the  Jews  under  the 

Law,  yet  clearly  revealed  only  in  the  Gospel. 
CHAP.  X.  The  Similarity  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments. 
CHAP.  XI.  The  Difference  of  the  two  Testaments. 
CHAP.  XII.  The    Necessity  of   Christ   becoming   Man    in 

order  to  fulfil  the  Office  of  Mediator. 
CHAP.  XIII.  Christ's  Assumption  of  real 'Humanity. 
CHAP.  XIV.  The  Union  of  the  two  Natures  constituting  the 

Person  of  the  Mediator. 
CHAP.  XV.  The   Consideration  of  Christ's  three    Offices. 

Prophetical,  Regal,  and  Sacerdotal,  necessary  to  our  knowing 

the  end  of  his  Mission  from  the  Father,  and  the  Benefits 

which  he  confers  on  us. 
CHAP.  XVI.  Christ's  Execution  of  the  Office  of  a  Redeemer 

to  procure   our   Salvation;    his    Death,    Resurrection,    and 

Ascension  to  Heaven. 
CHAP.  XVII.  Christ  truly  and  properly  said  to  have  merited 

the  Grace  of  God  and  Salvation  for  us. 


VOL.  I.  F 


BOOK  1. 

On  the  Knowledge  of  God  the  Creator. 


ARGUMENT. 

1  HE  first  book  treats  of  the  knowledge  of  God  the  Creator;  but 
this  being  chiefly  manifested  in  the  creation  of  man,  man  also  is 
made  the  subject  of  discussion.  Thus  the  principal  topics  of  the 
whole  treatise  are  two:  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  the  knowledge 
of  man.  In  the  first  chapter  they  are  considered  together,  in  the 
following  chapters  separately;  yet  some  things  are  introduced, 
which  may  be  referred  to  either  or  both.  What  respects  the 
Scripture  and  images  may  belong  to  the  knowledge  of  God; 
what  respects  the  formation  of  the  world,  the  holy  angels  and  the 
devils,  to  the  knowledge  of  man;  and  what  respects  the  manner 
in  which  God  governs  the  world,  to  both. 

On  the  first  of  these  topics,  the  knowledge  of  God,  this  book 
shews, 

First,  What  kind  of  knowledge  God  himself  requires — Chap.  II. 

Secondly,  Where  it  must  be  sought — Chap.  Ill — IX.  as  follows: 

1.  Not  in  man;  because,  though  the  human  mind  is  na- 

turally endued  with  it,  yet  it  is  extinguished,  partly  by 
ignorance,  partly  by  wickedness — Chap.  III.  IV. 

2.  Nor  in  the  structure  of  the  world;  because,  though  it 

shines  there  with  the  brightest  evidence,  testimonies 
of  that  kind,  however  plain,  are,  through  our  stupidity, 
wholly  useless  to  us — Chap.  V. 

3.  But  in  the  Scripture — Chap.  VI — IX. 
Thirdly,  What  kind  of  a  being  God  is — Chap.  X. 

Fourthly,  the  impiety  of  ascribing  to  God  a  visible  form,  with 
observations  on  the  adoration  and  origin  of  images — Chap.  XI. 

Fifthly,  The  reasonableness  that  God  alone  should  be  supremely 
worshipped — Chap.  XII. 

Lastly,  The  unity  of  the  Divine  Essence,  and  the  distinction  of 
three  Persons — Chap.  XIII. 


44  ARGUMENT. 

On  the  other  of  these  topics,  the  knowledge  of  man,  it  contains, 

First,  A  dissertation  on  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  on  the  good 
and  evil  angels,  all  which  relate  to  man — Chap.  XIV. 

Secondly,  Proceeding  to  man  himself,  an  examination  of  his  nature 
and  powers — Chap.  XV. 

But  in  order  to  a  clearer  illustration  of  the  knowledge  of  God  and 
man,  the  three  remaining  chapters  treat  of  the  government  of 
all  human  actions  and  of  the  whole  world,  in  opposition  to  for- 
tune and  fate,  stating  the  pure  doctrine,  and  shewing  its  use;  and 
conclude  with  proving  that  though  God  uses  the  agency  of  the 
wicked,  he  is  pure  from  all  pollution,  and  chargeable  with  n» 
blame. 


INSTITUTES 

OF  THE 

CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


fc'WVWWW 


BOOK  I. 

vwvwvwwv 

CHAP.  I. 

The  Connexion  between  the  Knowledge  of  God  and  the  Knowledge 
of  ourselves. 

1  RUE  and  substantial  wisdom  principally  consists  of  two 
parts,  the  knowledge  of  God  and  the  knowledge  of  ourselves. 
But  while  these  two  branches  of  knowledge  are  so  intimately 
connected,  which  of  them  precedes  and  produces  the  other, 
is  not  easy  to  discover.  For,  in  the  first  place,  no  man  can  take 
a  survey  of  himself,  but  he  must  immediately  turn  to  the  con- 
templation of  God,  in  whom  he  "  lives  and  moves:"  (a)  since  it 
is  evident  that  the  talents  which  we  possess  are  not  from  our- 
selves, and  that  our  very  existence  is  nothing  but  a  subsistence 
in  God  alone.  These  bounties,  distilling  to  us  by  drops 
from  heaven,  form,  as  it  were,  so  many  streams  conducting  us 
to  the  fountain-head.  Our  poverty  conduces  to  a  clearer  display 
of  the  infinite  fulness  of  God.  Especially,  the  miserable  ruin, 
into  which  we  have  been  plunged  by  the  defection  of  the  first 
man,  compels  us  to  raise  our  eyes  towards  heaven,  not  only  as 
hungry  and  famished,  to  seek  thence  a  supply  for  our  wants, 
but,  aroused  with  fear,  to  learn  humility.  For  since  man  is  sub- 
ject to  a  world  of  miseries,  and  has  been  spoiled  of  his  divine 
array,  this  melancholy  exposure  discovers  an  immense  mass  of 
deformity:  every  one  therefore  must  be  so  impressed  with  a  con- 
sciousness of  his  own  infelicity,  as  to  arrive  at  some  knowledge 

(a)  Acts  xvii.  28. 


46  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

of  God.  Thus  a  sense  of  our  ignorance,  vanity,  poverty,  infir- 
mity, depravity,  and  corruption,  leads  us  to  perceive  and 
acknowledge  that  in  the  Lord  alone  are  to  be  found  true 
wisdom,  solid  strengdi,  perfect  goodness,  and  unspotted 
righteousness;  and  so,  by  our  imperfections,  we  are  excited  to 
a  consideration  of  the  perfections  of  God.  Nor  can  we  really 
aspire  toward  him,  till  we  have  begun  to  be  displeased  with 
ourselves.  For  who  would  not  gladly  rest  satisfied  with  him- 
self? where  is  the  man  not  actually  absorbed  in  self-compla- 
cency, while  he  remains  unacquainted  with  his  true  situation, 
or  content  with  his  own  endowments^  and  ignorant  or  forgetful 
of  his  own  misery?  The  knowledge  of  ourselves,  therefore,  is 
not  only  an  incitement  to  seek  after  God,  but  likewise  a  con- 
siderable assistance  towards  finding  him. 

II.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  plain  that  no  man  can  arrive  at 
the  true  knowledge  of  himself,  without  having  first  contem- 
plated the  divine  character,  and  then  descended  to  the  consi- 
deration of  his  own.  For  such  is  the  native  pride  of  us  all,  we 
invariably  esteem  ourselves  righteous,  innocent,  wise,  and 
holy,  till  we  are  convinced  by  clear  proofs  of  our  unrigh- 
teousness, turpitude,  folly,  and  impurity.  But  we  are  never 
thus  convinced,  while  we  confine  our  attention  to  ourselves, 
and  regard  not  the  Lord,  who  is  the  only  standard  by  which 
this  judgment  ought  to  be  formed.  Because,  from  our  natural 
proneness  to  hypocrisy,  any  vain  appearance  of  righteous- 
ness abundantly  contents  us  instead  of  the  reality;  and,  every 
thing  within  and  around  us  being  exceedingly  defiled,  we  are 
delighted  with  what  is  least  so,  as  extremely  pure,  while  we 
confine  our  reflections  within  the  limits  of  human  corruption. 
Sc  the  eye,  accustomed  to  see  nothing  but  black,  judges  that 
to  be  very  white,  which  is  but  whitish,  or  perhaps  brown, 
indeed,  the  senses  of  our  bodies  may  assist  us  in  discovering 
how  grossly  we  err  in  estimating  the  powers  of  the  soul.  For 
if  at  noon-day  we  look  either  on  the  ground,  or  at  any  sur- 
rounding objects,  we  conclude  our  vision  to  be  very  strong 
and  piercing:  but  when  we  raise  our  eyes  and  steadily  look 
at  the  sun,  they  are  at  once  dazzled  and  confounded  with  such  a 
blaze  of  brightness,  and  we  are  constrained  to  confess,  that 
our  sight,  so  piercing  in  viewing  terrestrial  things,  when 


GHAP.  i.j  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  4T 

directed  to  the  sup,  is  dimness  itself.  Thus  also  it  happens  in 
the  consideration  of  our  spiritual  endowments.  For  as  long  as 
our  views  are  bounded  by  the  earth,  perfectly  content  with 
our  own  righteousness,  wisdom,  and  strength,  we  fondly  flatter 
ourselves,  and  fancy  we  are  little  less  than  demigods.  But  if 
we  once  elevate  our  thoughts  to  God,  and  consider  his  nature, 
and  the  consummate  perfection  of  his  righteousness,  wisdom, 
and  strength,  to  which  we  ought  to  be  conformed:  what 
before  charmed  us  in  ourselves  under  the  false  pretext  of 
righteousness,  will  soon  be  loathed  as  the  greatest  iniquity; 
what  strangely  deceived  us  under  the  title  of  wisdom,  will  be 
despised  as  extreme  folly;  and  what  wore  the  appearance  of 
strength,  will  be  proved  to  be  most  wretched  impotence.  So 
very  remote  from  the  divine  purity  is  what  seems  in  us  the 
highest  perfection. 

III.  Hence  that  horror  and  amazement,  with  which  the 
Scripture  always  represents  the  saints  to  have  been  impressed 
and  disturbed,  on  every  discovery  of  the  presence  of  God.  For 
when  we  see  those,  who  before  his  appearance  stood  secure 
and  firm,  so  astonished  and  affrighted  at  the  manifestation  of 
his  glory,  as  to  faint  and  almost  expire  through  fear;  we  must 
infer  that  man  is  never  sufficiently  affected  with  a  knowledge 
of  his  own  meanness,  till  he  has  compared  himself  with  the 
Dirine  Majesty.  Of  this  consternation  we  have  frequent 
examples  in  the  Judges  and  Prophets:  so  that  it  was  a  common 
expression  among  the  Lord's  people — "  We  shall  die,  because 
we  have  seen  God."  (£)  Therefore  the  history  of  Job,  to  humble 
men  with  a  consciousness  of  their  pollution,  impotence,  and 
folly,  derives  its  principal  argument  from  a  description  of  the 
Divine  purity,  power,  and  wisdom.  And  not  without  reason. 
For  we  see  how  Abraham,  the  nearer  he  approached  to  be- 
hold the  glory  of  the  Lord,  the  more  fully  acknowledged 
himself  to  be  but  u  dust  and  ashes;"  (c)  and  how  Elias  (rf)  could 
not  bear  his  approach  without  covering  his  face,  his  appear- 
ance is  so  formidable.  And  what  can  man  do,  all  vile  and 
corrupt,  when  fear  constrains  even  the  cherubim  themselves 
to  veil  their  faces?  This  is  what  the  prophet  Isaiah  speaks 

(*)  Jud§T-  xiii.  22.  (c)  Gen.  xviii.  27.  (d}  1  Kings  six.  !J. 


48  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

of;  "the  moon  shall  be  confounded  and  the  sun  ashamed, 
when  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall  reign:"  (>)  that  is,  when  he  shall 
make  a  fuller  and  nearer  exhibition  of  his  splendour,  it  shall 
eclipse  the  splendour  of  the  brightest  object  besides.  But 
though  the  knowledge  of  God  and  the  knowledge  of  ourselves 
be  intimately  connected,  the  proper  order  of  instruction  re- 
quires us  first  to  treat  of  the  former,  and  then  to  proceed  to  the 
discussion  of  the  latter. 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  Nature  and  Tendency  of  the  Knorvledge  of  God. 

JoY  the  knowledge  of  God,  I  intend  not  merely  a  no- 
tion that  there  is  such  a  Being,  but  also  an  acquaintance  with 
whatever  we  ought  to  know  concerning  Him,  conducing  to 
his  glory  and  our  benefit.  For  we  cannot  with  propriety  say, 
there  is  any  knowledge  of  God,  where  there  is  no  religion  or 
piety.  I  have  no  reference  here  to  that  species  of  knowledge, 
by  which  men,  lost  and  condemned  in  themselves,  apprehend 
God  the  Redeemer  in  Christ  the  mediator;  but  only  to  that 
first  and  simple  knowledge,  to  which  the  genuine  order  of 
nature  would  lead  us,  if  Adam  had  retained  his  innocence. 
For  though,  in  the  present  ruined  state  of  human  nature,  no 
man  will  ever  perceive  God  to  be  a  Father,  or  the  Author  of 
salvation,  or  in  any  respect  propitious  but  as  pacified  by  the 
mediation  of  Christ:  yet  it  is  one  thing  to  understand,  that 
God  our  Maker  supports  us  by  his  power,  governs  us  by 
his  providence,  nourishes  us  by  his  goodness,  and  follows  us 
with  blessings  of  every  kind,  and  another  to  embrace  the  grace 
of  reconciliation  proposed  to  us  in  Christ.  Therefore,  since 
God  is  first  manifested,  both  in  the  structure  of  the  world 
and  in  the  general  tenor  of  Scripture,  simply  as  the  Creator, 
and  afterwards  reveals  himself  in  the  person  of  Christ  as  a  Re- 
deemer; hence  arises  a  twofold  knowledge  of  him;  of  which  the 
former  is  first  to  be  considered,  and  the  other  will  follow  in  its 

(<?)  Isaiah  vi.  2.  xxiv.  2". 


CHAP,  it.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  49 

proper  place.  For  though  our  mind  cannot  conceive  of  God, 
without  ascribing  some  worship  to  him;  it  will  not  be  suffi- 
cient merely  to  apprehend,  that  he  is  the  only  proper  object  of 
universal  worship  and  adoration,  unless  we  are  also  persuaded 
that  he  is  the  fountain  of  all  good,  and  seek  for  none  but  in  him. 
This  I  maintain,  not  only  because  he  sustains  the  universe,  as 
he  once  made  it,  by  his  infinite  power,  governs  it  by  his  wisdom, 
preserves  it  by  his  goodness,  and  especially  reigns  over  the 
human  race  in  righteousness  and  judgment,  exercising  a  mer- 
ciful forbearance,  and  defending  them  by  his  protection;  but 
because  there  cannot  be  found  the  least  particle  of  wisdom, 
light,  righteousness,  power,  rectitude,  or  sincere  truth,  which 
does  not  proceed  from  him,  and  claim  him  for  its  author:  we 
should  therefore  learn  to  expect  and  supplicate  all  these  things 
from  him,  and  thankfully  to  acknowledge  what  he  gives  us. 
For  this  sense  of  the  divine  perfections  is  calculated  to  teach  us 
piety,  which  produces  religion.  By  piety,  I  mean  a  reverence 
and  love  of  God,  arising  from  a  knowledge  of  his  benefits.  For 
till  men  are  sensible  that  they  owe  every  thing  to  God,  that 
they  are  supported  by  his  paternal  care,  that  he  is  the  Author 
of  all  the  blessings  they  enjoy,  and  that  nothing  should  be 
sought  independently  of  him,  they  will  never  voluntarily  sub- 
mit to  his  authority:  they  will  never  truly  and  cordially  devote 
themselves  to  his  service,  unless  they  rely  upon  him  alone 
for  true  felicity. 

II.  Cold  and  frivolous,  then,  are  the  speculations  of  those  \/ 
who  employ  themselves  in  disquisitions  on  the  essence  of  God,  v 
when  it  would  be  more  interesting  to  us  to  become  acquainted 
with  his  character,  and  to  know  what  is  agreeable  to  his  nature. 
For  what  end  is  answered  by  professing,  with  Epicurus,  that 
there  is  a  God,  who,  discarding  all  concern  about  the  world, 
indulges  himself  in  perpetual  inactivity?  What  benefit  arises 
from  the  knowledge  of  a  God,  with  whom  we  have  no  concern? 
Our  knowledge  of  God  should  rather  tend,  first,  to  teach  us 
fear  and  reverence;  and,  secondly,  to  instruct  us  to  implore  all 
good  at  his  hand,  and  to  render  him  the  praise  of  all  that  we 
receive.  For  how  can  you  entertain  a  thought  of  God,  with- 
out immediately  reflecting,  that,  being  a  creature  of  his  forma- 
tion, you  must,  by  right  of  creation,  be  subject  to  his  authority? 

VOL.  I.  G 


50  I XSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

that  you  are  indebted  to  him  for  your  life,  and  that  all  your 
actions  should  be  done  with  reference  to  him?  If  this  be  true, 
it  certainly  follows  that  your  life  is  miserably  corrupt,  unless 
it  be  regulated  by  a  desire  of  obeying  him,  since  his  will  ought 
to  be  the  rule  of  our  conduct.  Nor  can  you  have  a  clear  view 
of  him,  without  discovering  him  to  be  the  fountain  and  origin 
of  all  good.  This  would  produce  a  desire  of  union  to  him, 
and  confidence  in  him,  if  the  human  mind  were  not  seduced  by- 
its  own  depravity  from  the  right  path  of  investigation.  For,  even 
at  the  first,  the  pious  mind  dreams  not  of  any  imaginary  deity, 
but  contemplates  only  the  one  true  God:  and,  concerning 
him,  indulges  not  the  fictions  of  fancy,  but,  content  with  be- 
lieving him  to  be  such  as  he  reveals  himself,  uses  the  most 
diligent  and  unremitting  caution,  lest  it  should  fall  into  error 
by  a  rash  and  presumptuous  transgression  of  his  will.  He 
who  thus  knows  him,  sensible  that  all  things  are  subject  to 
his  control,  confides  in  him  as  his  Guardian  and  Protector, 
and  unreservedly  commits  himself  to  his  care.  Assured  that 
he  is  the  Author  of  all  blessings,  in  distress  or  want,  he  im- 
mediately flies  to  his  protection,  and  expects  his  aid.  Per- 
suaded of  his  goodness  and  mercy,  he  relies  on  him  with 
unlimited  confidence,  nor  doubts  of  finding  in  his  clemency 
a  remedy  provided  for  all  his  evils.  Knowing  him  to  be 
his  Lord  and  Father,  he  concludes  that  he  ought  to  mark  his 
government  in  all  things,  revere  his  majesty,  endeavour  to  pro- 
mote his  glory,  and  obey  his  commands.  Perceiving  him  to 
be  a  just  Judge,  armed  with  severity  for  the  punishment  of 
crimes,  he  keeps  his  tribunal  always  in  view,  and  is  restrained 
by  fear  from  provoking  his  wrath.  Yet  he  is  not  so  terrified 
at  the  apprehension  of  his  justice,  as  to  wish  to  evade  it,  even 
if  escape  were  possible;  but  loves  him  as  much  in  punishing 
the  wicked  as  in  blessing  the  pious,  because  he  believes  it  as  ne- 
cessary to  his  glory  to  punish  the  impious  and  abandoned, 
as  to  reward  the  righteous  with  eternal  life.  Besides,  he 
restrains  himself  from  sin,  not  merely  from  a  dread  of  ven- 
geance, but  because  he  loves  and  reveres  God  as  his  Father, 
honours  and  worships  him  as  his  Lord,  and,  even  though  there 
were  no  hell,  would  shudder  at  the  thought  of  offending  him. 
See  then  the  nature  of  pure  and  genuine  religion.  It  consists 


CHAP,  in.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  51 

in  faith,  united  with  a  serious  fear  of  God,  comprehending  a 
voluntary  reverence,  and,  producing  legitimate  Worship  agree- 
able to  the  injunctions  of  the  law.  And  this  requires  to  be  the 
more  carefully  remarked,  because  men  in  general  render  to 
God  a  formal  worship,  but  very  few  truly  reverence  him; 
while  great  ostentation  in  ceremonies  is  universally  displayed, 
but  sincerity  of  heart  is  rarely  to  be  found. 


vwvwvwwvvw 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  human  Mind  naturally  endued  with  the  Kno\vledge  of  God. 

WE  lay  it  down  as  a  position  not  to  be  controverted) 
that  the  human  mind,  even  by  natural  instinct,  possesses  some 
sense  of  a  Deity.  For  that  no  man  might  shelter  himself 
under  the  pretext  of  ignorance,  God  hath  given  to  all  some 
apprehension  of  his  existence,  (y)  the  memory  of  which  he 
frequently  and  insensibly  renews;  so  that  as  men  universally 
know  that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  he  is  their  Maker,  they 
must  be  condemned  by  their  own  testimony,  for  not  having 
worshipped  him  and  consecrated  their  lives  to  his  service.  If 
we  seek  for  ignorance  of  a  Deity,  it  is  no  where  more  likely 
to  be  found,  than  among  tribes  the  most  stupid  and  farthest 
from  civilization.  But,  as  the  celebrated  Cicero  observes, 
there  is  no  nation  so  barbarous,  no  race  so  savage,  as  not  to 
be  firmly  persuaded  of  the  being  of  a  God.  (^-)  Even  those  who 
in  other  respects  appear  to  differ  but  little  from  brutes,  always 
retain  some  sense  of  religion:  so  fully  are  the  minds  of  men 
possessed  with  this  common  principle,  which  is  closely  inter- 
woven with  their  original  composition.  Now  since  there  has 
never  been  a  country  or  family,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world,  totally  destitute  of  religion;  it  is  a  tacit  confession,  that 
some  sense  of  the  Divinity  is  inscribed  on  every  heart.  Of 
this  opinion,  idolatry  itself  furnishes  ample  proof."  For  we 
know  how  reluctantly  man  would  degrade  himself  to  exalt 
other  creatures  above  him.  His  preference  of  worshipping  a 

(/)  Rom.  i.  20. 

(f )  Cicer.  de  Natur.  Deor.  lib.  i.  Lactant.  Inst.  lib.  iii.  cap.  1,0. 


52  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

piece  of  wood  or  stone,  to  being  thought  to  have  no  god, 
evinces  the  impression  of  a  Deity  on  the  human  mind  to  be 
very  strong,  the  obliteration  of  which  is  more  difficult  than  a 
total  change  of  the  natural  disposition,  and  this  is  certainly 
changed,  whenever  man  leaves  his  natural  pride,  and  volun- 
tarily descends  to  such  meannesses  under  the  notion  of  wor- 
shipping God. 

II.  It  is  most  absurd  then  to  pretend,  as  is  asserted  by  some, 
that  religion  was  the  contrivance  of  a  few  subtle  and  designing 
men,  a  political  machine  to  confine  the  simple  multitude  to 
their  duty,  while  those  who  inculcated  the  worship  of  God 
on  others  were  themselves  far  from  believing  that  any  god 
existed.  I  confess  indeed  that  artful  men  have  introduced 
many  inventions  into  religion,  to  fill  the  vulgar  with  reverence 
and  strike  them  with  terror,  in  order  to  obtain  the  greater  com- 
mand over  their  minds.  But  this  they  never  could  have 
accomplished,  if  the  minds  of  men  had  not  previously  been 
possessed  with  a  firm  persuasion  of  the  existence  of  God,  from 
which  the  propensity  to  religion  proceeds.  And  that  they  who 
cunningly  imposed  on  the  illiterate,  under  the  pretext  of  reli- 
gion, were  themselves  wholly  destitute  of  any  knowledge  of 
God,  is  quite  incredible.  For  though  there  were  some  in  ancient 
times,  and  many  arise  in  the  present  age,  who  deny  the  ex- 
istence of  God;  yet,  in  spite  of  their  reluctance,  they  are  con- 
tinually receiving  proofs  of  what  they  desire  to  disbelieve. 
We  read  of  no  one  guilty  of  more  audacious  or  unbridled 
contempt  of  the  Deity  than  Caligula;  yet  no  man  ever  trembled 
with  greater  distress  at  any  instance  of  Divine  wrath,  so  that 
he  was  constrained  to  dread  the  Divinity  whom  he  professed 
to  despise.  This  you  may  always  see  exemplified  in  persons 
of  similar  character.  For  the  most  audacious  contemners  of 
God  are  most  alarmed  even  at  the  noise  of  a  falling  leaf. 
Whence  arises  this,  but  from  the  vengeance  of  the  Divine  Ma- 
jesty, smiting  their  consciences  the  more  powerfully  in  propor- 
tion to  their  efforts  to  fly  from  it.  They  try  every  refuge  to 
hide  themselves  from  the  Lord's  presence,  and  to  efface  it  from 
their  minds;  but  their  attempts  to  elude  it  are  all  in  vain. 
Though  it  may  seem  to  disappear  for  a  moment,  it  presently 
returns  with  increased  violence;  so  that  if  they  have  any  remis- 


CHAP.  HI.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  53 

sion  of  the  anguish  of  conscience,  it  resembles  the  sleep  of  per- 
sons intoxicated,  or  subject  to  frenzy,  who  enjoy  no  placid  rest 
while  sleeping,  being  continually  harassed  with  horrible  and 
tremendous  dreams.  The  impious  themselves  therefore  ex- 
emplify the  observation,  that  the  idea  of  a  God  is  never  lost  in 
the  human  mind. 

III.  It  will  always  be  evident  to  persons  of  correct  judgment^ 
that  the  idea  of  a  Deity  impressed  on  the  mind  of  man  is 
indelible.  That  all  have  by  nature  an  innate  persuasion  of  the 
Divine  existence,  a  persuasion  inseparable  from  their  very  con- 
stitution, we  have  abundant  evidence  in  the  contumacy  of  the 
wicked,  whose  furious  struggles  to  extricate  themselves  from  the 
fear  of  God  are  unavailing.  Though  Diagoras,  and  others 
like  him,  turn  to  ridicule  what  all  ages  have  believed  of  reli- 
gion; (A)  though  Dionysius  scoff  at  the  judgment  of  heaven;  it 
is  but  a  forced  laughter,  for  the  worm  of  a  guilty  conscience 
torments  them  within,  worse  than  if  they  were  seared  with  hot 
irons.  I  agree  not  with  Cicero,  that  errors  in  process  of  time 
become  obsolete,  and  that  religion  is  increased  and  ameliorated 
daily.  For  the  world,  as  will  shortly  be  observed,  uses  its 
utmost  endeavours  to  banish  all  knowledge  of  God,  and  tries 
every  method  of  corrupting  his  worship.  I  only  maintain, 
that  while  the  stupid  insensibility  which  the  wicked  wish  to 
acquire,  to  promote  their  contempt  of  God,  preys  upon  their 
minds,  yet  the  sense  of  a  Deity,  which  they  ardently  desire  to 
extinguish,  is  still  strong,  and  frequently  discovers  itself.  Whence 
we  infer,  that  this  is  a  doctrine,  not  first  to  be  learned  in  the 
schools,  but  which  every  man  from  his  birth  is  self-taught,  and 
which,  though  many  strain  every  nerve  to  banish  it  from  them, 
yet  nature  itself  permits  none  to  forget.  Now  if  the  end,  for 
which  all  men  are  born  and  live,  be  to  know  God,  and  unless 
the  knowledge  of  God  have  reached  this  point,  it  is  uncertain 
and  vain;  it  is  evident,  that  all  who  direct  not  every  thought 
and  action  of  life  to  this  end,  are  degenerated  from  the  law 
of  their  creation.  Of  this  the  heathen  philosophers  them- 
selves were  not  ignorant.  This  was  Plato's  meaning,  when 
he  taught  that  the  chief  good  of  the  soul  consists  in  simili- 

(A)  Cicer,  de  Nat.  Deor.lib.  1  &  3.  Valer.  Maxim,  lib.  1.  cap.  1. 


54  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

tude  to  God,  when  the  soul,  having  a  clear  knowledge  of  him, 
is  wholly  transformed  into  his  likeness,  (i)  The  reasoning  also 
of  Gryllus  in  Plutarch  is  very  accurate,  when  he  affirms  that 
men  entirely  destitute  of  religion  not  only  do  not  excel  the 
brutes,  but  are  in  many  respects  far  more  wretched,  being  ob- 
noxious to  evil  under  so  many  forms,  and  always  dragging  on 
a  tumultuous  and  restless  life.  The  worship  of  God  is  there- 
fore the  only  thing,  which  renders  men  superior  to  brutes,  and 
makes  them  aspire  to  immortality. 


wvvwwvvwwv 

CHAPTER  IV. 

This  Knowledge  extinguished  or  corrupted, partly  by  Ignorance, 
partly  by  Wickedness. 

\\  HILE  experience  testifies  that  the  seeds  of  religion  are 
sown  by  God  in  every  heart,  we  scarcely  find  one  man  in 
a  hundred  who  cherishes  what  he  has  received,  and  not  one 
in  whom  they  grow  to  maturity,  much  less  bear  fruit  in  due 
season.  Some  perhaps  grow  vain  in  their  own  superstitions, 
while  others  revolt  from  God  with  intentional  wickedness,  but 
all  degenerate  from  the  true  knowledge  of  him.  The  fact  is, 
that  no  genuine  piety  remains  in  the  world.  But  in  saying 
that  some  fall  into  superstition  through  error,  I  would  not 
insinuate  that  their  ignorance  excuses  them  from  guilt:  because 
their  blindness  is  always  connected  with  pride,  vanity,  and  con- 
tumacy. Pride  and  vanity  are  discovered,  when  miserable  men, 
in  seeking  after  God,  rise  not,  as  they  ought,  above  their  own 
leVel,  but  judge  of  him  according  to  their  carnal  stupidity,  and 
leave  the  proper  path  of  investigation  in  pursuit  of  speculations 
as  vain  as  they  are  curious.  Their  conceptions  of  him  are 
formed,  not  according  to  the  representations  he  gives  of  him- 
self, but  by  the  inventions  of  their  own  presumptuous  ima- 
ginations. This  gulf  being  opened,  whatever  course  they 
take,  they  must  be  rushing  forwards  to  destruction.  None  of 
their  subsequent  attempts  for  the  worship  or  service  of  God 

(i)  InPhacd.&Theict. 


CHAP,  iv.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  S5 

can  be  considered  as  rendered  to  him;  because  they  worship 
not  him,  but  a  figment  of  their  own  brains  in  his  stead.  This 
depravity  Paul  expressly  remarks:  "  Professing  themselves  to 
be  wise,  they  became  fools."  (£)  He  had  before  said,  "  they 
became  vain  in  their  imaginations."  But  lest  any  should  excul- 
pate them,  he  adds  that  they  were  deservedly  blinded,  because, 
not  content  within  the  bounds  of  sobriety,  but  arrogating  to 
themselves  more  than  was  right,  they  wilfully  darkened,  and 
even  infatuated  themselves  with  pride,  vanity,  and  perverse- 
ness.  Whence  it  follows,  that  their  folly  is  inexcusable,  which 
originates  not  only  in  a  vain  curiosity,  but  in  false  confidence, 
and  an  immoderate  desire  to  exceed  the  limits  of  human 
knowledge. 

II.  David's  assertion,  that  "  the  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart, 
there  is  no  God,"  (/)  is  primarily,  as  we  shall  soon  see  in 
another  place,  to  be  restricted  to  those  who  extinguish  the  light 
of  nature,  and  wilfully  stupify  themselves.  For  we  see  many, 
become  hardened  by  bold  and  habitual  transgressions,  striving 
to  banish  all  remembrance  of  God,  which  the  instinct  of 
nature  is  still  suggesting  to  their  minds.  To  render  their 
madness  more  detestable,  he  introduces  them  as  expressly 
denying  the  existence  of  God,  not  that  they  deprive  him  of 
his  being,  but  because  they  rob  him  of  his  justice  and  pro- 
vidence, shutting  him  up  as  an  idler  in  heaven.  Now  as  no- 
thing would  be  more  inconsistent  with  Deity,  than  to  abandon 
the  government  of  the  world,  leave  it  to  fortune,  and  connive 
at  the  crimes  of  men,  that  they  might  wanton  with  impunity; 
whoever  extinguishes  all  fear  of  the  heavenly  judgment,  and 
indulges  himself  in  security,  denies  that  there  is  any  God. 
After  the  impious  have  wilfully  shut  their  own  eyes,  it  is  the 
righteous  vengeance  of  God  upon  them,  to  darken  their  under- 
standings, so  that  seeing,  they  may  not  perceive,  (jri)  David 
is  the  best  interpreter  of  his  own  meaning,  in  another  place, 
where  he  says,  "  the  wicked  have  no  fear  of  God  before  their 
eyes;"  (ji)  and  again,  that  they  encourage  themselves  in  their 
iniquities  with  the  flattering  persuasion  that  God  doth  not 
see  them,  (o)  Though  they  are  constrained  to  acknowledge 

(fc)  Rom.  i.  22.  (/)  Psalm  xiv.  1.  (*n)  Isaiah  vi.  9. 

(n)  Psalm  xxxvi.  1.  (o)  Psalm  x.  11. 


56  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

the  existence  of  God,  yet  they  rob  him  of  his  glory,  by  de- 
tracting from  his  power.  For  as  God,  according  to  the  testi- 
mony of  Paul,  "  cannot  deny  himself,"  (/>)  because  he  per- 
petually remains  like  himself;  those  who  feign  him  to  be  a  vain 
and  lifeless  image,  are  truly  said  to  deny  God.  It  must  also  be 
remarked  that  though  they  strive  against  their  own  natural 
understanding,  and  desire  not  only  to  banish  him  thence,  but 
even  to  annihilate  him  in  heaven,  their  insensibility  can  never 
prevail,  so  as  to  prevent  God  from  sometimes  recalling  them 
to  his  tribunal.  But  as  no  dread  restrains  them  from  violent 
opposition  to  the  divine  will,  it  is  evident,  as  long  as  they 
are  carried  away  with  such  a  blind  impetuosity,  that  they  are 
governed  by  a  brutish  forgetfulness  of  God. 

III.  Thus  is  overthrown  the  vain  excuse  pleaded  by  many 
for  their  superstition:  for  they  satisfy  themselves  with  any 
attention  to  religion,  however  preposterous,  not  considering 
that  the  Divine  Will  is  the  perpetual  rule  to  which  true  religion 
ought  to  be  conformed;  that  God  ever  continues  like  himself; 
that  he  is  no  spectre  or  phantasm,  to  be  metamorphosed  ac- 
cording to  the  fancy  of  every  individual.  It  is  easy  to  see  how 
superstition  mocks  God  with  hypocritical  services,  while  it 
attempts  to  please  him.  For,  embracing  only  those  things 
which  he  declares  he  disregards,  it  either  contemptuously  prac- 
tises, or  even  openly  rejects,  what  he  prescribes  and  declares 
to  be  pleasing  in  his  sight.  Persons  who  introduce  newly  in- 
r  vented  methods  of  worshipping  God,  really  worship  and  adore 
•  the  creature  of  their  distempered  imaginations;  for  they  would 
never  have  dared  to  trifle  in  such  a  manner  with  God,  if  they 
had  not  first  feigned  a  god  conformable  to  their  own  false 
and  foolish  notions.  Wherefore  the  apostle  pronounces  a  vague 
and  unsettled  notion  concerning  the  Deity  to  be  ignorance  of 
God.  "  When  ye  knew  not  God  (says  he)  ye  did  service  unto 
them  which  by  nature  were  no  gods."  (y)  And  in  another 
place  he  speaks  of  the  Ephesians  as  having  been  "without 
God,"  (r)  while  they  were  strangers  to  a  right  knowledge  of 
the  only  true  God.  Nor,  in  this  respect,  is  it  of  much  im- 
portance, whether  you  imagine  to  yourself  one  god  or  more, 
for  in  either  case  you  depart  and  revolt  from  the  true  God,  and, 

(/»)  2  Tim.  ii.  13.  (9)  Gal.  Iv.  8.  (r)  Eph.  ii.  12. 


CHAP,  iv.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  57 

forsaking  him,  you  have  nothing  left  you  but  an  execrable  idol. 
We  must  therefore  decide,  with  Lactantius,  that  there  is  no     i 
legitimate  religion  unconnected  with  truth. 

IV.  Another  sin  is,  that  they  never  think  of  God  but  against 
their  inclinations,  nor  approach  him  till  their  reluctance  is 
overcome  by  constraint,  and  then  they  are  influenced,  not  by  a 
voluntary  fear,  proceeding  from  reverence  of  the  Divine  Ma- 
jesty, but  by  a  servile  and  constrained  fear,  extorted  by  the 
Divine  judgment,  which  they  dread  because  it  is  inevitable,  at 
the  same  time  that  they  hate  it.  Now  to  impiety,  and  to  this 
species  of  it  alone,  is  applicable  that  assertion  of  Statius,  that 
fear  first  made  gods  in  the  world,  (s)  They,  whose  minds  are 
alienated  from  the  righteousness  of  God,  earnestly  desire  the 
subversion  of  that  tribunal,  which  they  know  to  be  established 
for  the  punishment  of  transgressions  against  it.  With  this  dis- 
position, they  wage  war  against  the  Lord,  who  cannot  be  de- 
prived of  his  judgment;  but  when  they  apprehend  his  irre- 
sistible arm  to  be  impending  over  their  heads,  unable  to  avert 
or  evade  it,  they  tremble  with  fear.  That  they  may  not  seem 
altogether  to  despise  him,  whose  majesty  troubles  them,  they 
practise  some  form  of  religion;  at  the  same  time  not  ceasing 
to  pollute  themselves  with  vices  of  every  kind,  and  to  add 
one  flagitious  act  to  another,  till  they  have  violated  every  part 
of  God's  holy  law,  and  evaporated  all  its  righteousness.  It  is 
certain,  at  least,  that  they  are  not  prevented  by  that  pretended 
fear  of  God  from  enjoying  pleasure  and  satisfaction  in  their 
sins,  practising  self-adulation,  and  preferring  the  indulgence  of 
their  own  carnal  intemperance,  to  the  salutary  restraints  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  But  that  being  a  false  and  vain  shadow  of  re- 
ligion, and  scarcely  worthy  even  to  be  called  its  shadow;  it  • 
is  easy  to  infer  the  wide  difference  between  such  a  confused 
notion  of  God,  and  the  piety  which  is  instilled  only  into  the  " 
minds  of  the  faithful,  and  is  the  source  of  religion.  Yet  hypo- 
crites, who  are  flying  from  God,  resort  to  the  artifices  of 
superstition,  for  the  sake  of  appearing  devoted  to  him.  For 
whereas  the  whole  tenor  of  their  life  ought  to  be  a  perpetual 
course  of  obedience  to  him,  they  make  no  scruple  of  rebelling 
against  him  in  almost  all  their  actions,  only  endeavouring  to 
(*)  Statii  Thebaid.  lib.  3. 

VOL.  I.  H 


58  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

appease  him  with  a  few  paltry  sacrifices.  Whereas  he  ought 
to  be  served  with  sanctity  of  life  and  integrity  of  heart,  they 
invent  frivolous  trifles  and  worthless  observances,  to  conciliate 
his  favour.  They  abandon  themselves  to  their  impurities  with 
the  greater  licentiousness,  because  they  confide  in  being  able 
to  discharge  all  their  duty  to  him  by  ridiculous  expiations.  In 
a  word,  whereas  their  confidence  ought  to  be  placed  on  him, 
they  neglect  him,  and  depend  upon  themselves,  or  on  other 
creatures.  At  length  they  involve  themselves  in  such  a  vast 
accumulation  of  errors,  that  those  sparks  which  enabled  them 
to  discover  the  glory  of  God  are  smothered,  and  at  last  extin- 
guished by  the  criminal  darkness  of  iniquity.  That  seed, 
which  it  is  impossible  to  eradicate,  a  sense  of  the  existence  of 
a  Deity,  yet  remains;  but  so  corrupted  as  to  produce  only  the 
worst  of  fruits.  Yet  this  is  a  farther  proof  of  what  I  now  con- 
tend for,  that  an  idea  of  God  is  naturally  engraved  on  the 
hearts  x>f  men,  since  necessity  extorts  a  confession  of  it,  even 
from  reprobates  themselves.  In  the  moment  of  tranquillity 
they  facetiously  mock  the  Divine  Being,  and  with  loquacious 
impertinence  derogate  from  his  power.  But  if  any  despair 
oppress  them,  it  stimulates  them  to  seek  him,  and  dictates 
concise  prayers,  which  prove  that  they  were  not  altogether 
ignorant  of  God,  but  that  what  ought  to  have  appeared  before 
had  been  suppressed  by  obstinacy. 


wwwwwwvw 

CHAPTER  V. 

The  Knorvledge  of  God  conspicuous  in  the  Formation  and  con- 
tinual Government  of  the  World. 

AS  the  perfection  of  a  happy  life  consists  in  the  knowledge 
of  God,  that  no  man  might  be  precluded  from  attaining  feli- 
city, Qod  hath  not  only  sown  in  the  minds  of  men  the  seed  of 
religion,  already  mentioned,  but  hath  manifested  himself  in  the 
formation  of  every  part  of  the  world,  and  daily  presents  him- 
self to  public  view,  in  such  a  manner,  that  they  cannot  open 
their  eyes  without  being  constrained  to  behold  him.  His 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  $9 

Essence  indeed  is  incomprehensible,  so  that  his  Majesty  is  not 
to  be  perceived  by  the  human  senses:  but  on  all  his  works  he 
hath  inscribed  his  glory  in  characters  so"  clear,  unequivocal, 
and  striking,  that  the  most  illiterate  and  stupid  cannot  excul- 
pate themselves  by  the  plea  of  ignorance.  The  Psalmist 
therefore  with  great  propriety  exclaims,  "  He  covereth  himself 
with  light  as  with  a  garment:"  (?)  as  if  he  had  said,  that  his 
first  appearance  in  visible  apparel  was  at  the  creation  of  the 
world,  when  he  displayed  those  glories  which  are  still  conspi- 
cuous on  every  side.  In  the  same  place  the  Psalmist  compares 
the  expanded  heavens  to  a  royal  pavilion; — he  says  that  he 
"  layeth  the  beams  of  his  chambers  in  the  waters;  maketh 
the  clouds  his  chariot,  walketh  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind:" 
and  maketh  the  winds  and  the  lightnings  his  swift  messengers. 
And  because  the  glory  of  his  power  and  wisdom  is  more  re- 
fulgently  displayed  above,  heaven  is  generally  called  his  palace. 
And,  in  the  first  place,  whithersoever  you  turn  your  eyes,  there 
is  not  an  atom  of  the  world  in  which  you  cannot  behold  some 
brilliant  sparks  at  least  of  his  glory.  But  you  cannot  at  one 
view  take  a  survey  of  this  most  ample  and  beautiful  machine 
in  all  its  vast  extent,  without  being  completely  overwhelmed 
with  its  infinite  splendour.  Wherefore  the  author  of  the 
epistle  to  the  Hebrews  elegantly  represents  the  worlds  as  the 
manifestation  of  invisible  things:  (v)  for  the  exact  symmetry 
of  the  universe  is  a  mirror,  in  which  we  may  contemplate  the 
otherwise  invisible  God.  For  which  reason  the  Psalmist  (zv) 
attributes  to  the  celestial  bodies  a  language  universally  known: 
for  they  afford  a  testimony  of  the  Deity,  too  evident  to  escape 
the  observation  even  of  the  most  ignorant  people  in  the  world. 
But  the  Apostle  more  distinctly  asserts  this  manifestation  to 
men  of  what  was  useful  to  be  known  concerning  God:  "  for 
the  invisible  things  of  him  from  the  creation  of  the  world  are 
elearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the  things  that  are  made, 
even  his  eternal  power  and  godhead."  (^) 

II..Of  his  wonderful  wisdom,  both  heaven  and  earth  contain 
innumerable  proofs:  not  only  those  more  abstruse  things,  which 
are  the  subjects  of  astronomy,  medicine,  and  the  whole  science 

(0  Psalm  civ.  2.  (v)  Heb.  xi.  3.  (w)  Psalm  xix.  1, 3. 

M  Rom.  i.  20. 


60  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  x. 

of  physics;  but  those  things  which  force  themselves  on  the 
view  of  the  most  illiterate  of  mankind,  so  that  they  cannot  open 
their  eyes  without  being  constrained  to  witness  them.  Adepts 
indeed  in  those  liberal  arts,  or  persons  but  just  initiated  into 
them,  are  thereby  enabled  to  proceed  much  farther  in  inves- 
tigating the  secrets  of  Divine  Wisdom.  Yet  ignorance,  of 
those  sciences  prevents  no  man  from  such  a  survey  of  the 
workmanship  of  God,  as  is  more  than  sufficient  to  excite  his 
admiration  of  the  Divine  Architect.  In  disquisitions  concern- 
ing the  motions  of  the  stars,  in  fixing  their  situations,  mea- 
suring their  distances,  and  distinguishing  their  peculiar  pro- 
perties, there  is  need  of  skill,  exactness,  and  industry:  and 
the  providence  of  God  being  more  clearly  revealed  by  these 
discoveries,  the  mind  ought  to  rise  to  a  sublime  elevation  for 
the  contemplation  of  his  glory.  But  since  the  meanest  and 
most  illiterate  of  mankind,  who  are  furnished  with  no  other 
assistance  than  their  own  eyes,  cannot  be  ignorant  of  the  ex- 
cellence of  the  Divine  skill,  exhibiting  itself  in  that  endless  yet 
regular  variety  of  the  innumerable  celestial  host;  it  is  evident, 
that  the  Lord  abundantly  manifests  his  wisdom  to  every  indi- 
vidual on  earth.  Thus  it  belongs  to  a  man  of  pre-eminent 
ingenuity  to  examine,  with  the  critical  exactness  of  Galen,  the 
connection,  the  symmetry,  the  beauty,  and  the  use  of  the  va- 
rious parts  of  the  human  body.  But  the  composition  of  the 
human  body  is  universally  acknowledged  to  be  so  ingenious, 
as  to  render  its  Maker  the  object  of  admiration. 

III.  And  therefore  some  of  the  philosophers  (z/)  of  antiquity 
have  justly  called  man  a  microcosm,  or  world  in  miniature; 
because  he  is  an  eminent  specimen  of  the  power,  goodness, 
and  wisdom  of  God,  and  contains  in  him  wonders  enough  to 
occupy  the  attention  of  our  minds,  if  we  are  not  indisposed  to 
such  a  study.  For  this  reason  Paul,  having  remarked  that  the 
blind  "might  feel  after  God  and  find  him,"  immediately  adds, 
that  "  he  is  not  far  from  every  one  of  us;"  (2)  because  every 
man  has  undoubtedly  an  inward  perception  of  the  celestial 
goodness,  by  which  he  is  quickened.  But  if,  to  attain  some 

(#)  Macrob.  lib.  2.  de  Somn.  Scip.  c.  12.  Boct.  de  Defin.  Arist.  lib.  1.  de  Hist. 
Animal. 

(r)  Acts  xvii.  27. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  61 

ideas  of  God,  it  be  not  necessary  for  us  to  go  beyond  ourselves, 
what  an  unpardonable  indolence  is  it  in  those  who  will  not  de- 
scend into  themselves,  that  they  may  find  him?  For  the  same 
reason,  David,  having  briefly  celebrated  the  wonderful  name 
and  honour  of  God,  which  are  universally  conspicuous,  imme- 
diately exclaims,  "  What  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of 
him?"  (a)  Again,  "  out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings 
thou  hast  ordained  strength."  Thus  declaring  not  only  that 
the  human  race  is  a  clear  mirror  of  the  works  of  God,  but 
that  even  infants  at  the  breast  have  tongues  so  eloquent  for 
the  publication  of  his  glory,  that  there  is  no  necessity  for  other 
orators;  whence  he  hesitates  not  to  produce  them  as  fully 
capable  of  confuting  the  madness  of  those  whose  diabolical 
pride  would  wish  to  extinguish  the  name  of  God.  Hence 
also  what  Paul  quotes  from  Aratus,  that  "  we  are  the  offspring 
of  God;"  (£)  since  his  adorning  us  with  such  great  excellence 
has  proved  him  to  be  our  Father.  So  from  the  dictates  of 
common  sense  and  experience,  the  heathen  poets  called  him 
the  Father  of  men.  Nor  will  any  man  freely  devote  himself 
to  the  service  of  God,  unless  he  have  been  allured  to  love  and 
reverence  him,  by  first  experiencing  his  paternal  love. 

IV.  But  herein  appears  the  vile  ingratitude  of  men;  that, 
while  they  ought  to  be  proclaiming  the  praises  of  God  for  the 
wonderful  skill  displayed  in  their  formation,  and  the  inestima- 
ble bounties  he  bestows  on  them,  they  are  only  inflated  with 
the  greater  pride.  They  perceive  how  wonderfully  God  works 
within  them,  and  experience  teaches  them  what  a  variety  of 
blessings  they  receive  from  his  liberality.  They  are  con- 
strained to  know,  whether  willingly  or  not,  that  these  are 
proofs  of  his  divinity:  yet  they  suppress  this  knowledge  in 
their  hearts.  Indeed,  they  need  not  go  out  of  themselves,  pro- 
vided they  do  not,  by  arrogating  to  themselves  what  is  given 
from  heaven,  smother  the  light  which  illuminates  their  minds 
to  a  clearer  discovery  of  God.  Even  in  the  present  day,  there 
are  many  men  of  monstrous  dispositions,  who  hesitate  not  to 
pervert  all  the  seeds  of  divinity  sown  in  the  nature  of  man,  in 
order  to  bury  in  oblivion  the  name  of  God.  How  detestable 

(<r)  Psalm  Viii.  2,  4.  (/O  Acts  xvii.  28. 


62  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

is  this  frenzy,  that  man,  discovering  in  his  body  and  soul  a 
hundred  vestiges  of  God,  should  make  this  very  excellence  a 
pretext  for  the  denial  of  his  being!  They  will  not  say  that 
they  are  distinguished  from  the  brutes  by  chance:  but  they 
ascribe  it  to  nature,  which  they  consider  as  the  author  of  all 
things,  and  remove  God  out  of  sight.  They  perceive  most 
exquisite  workmanship  in  all  their  members,  from  the  head  to 
the  feet.  Here  also  they  substitute  nature  in  the  place  of 
God.  But  above  all,  the  rapid  motions  of  the  soul,  its  noble 
faculties,  and  excellent  talents,  discover  a  Divinity  not  easily 
concealed:  unless  the  Epicureans,  like  the  Cyclops,  from  this 
eminence  should  audaciously  wage  war  against  God.  Do  all 
the  treasures  of  heavenly  wisdom  concur  in  the  government  of 
a  worm  of  five  feet  in  length?  and  shall  the  universe  be  desti- 
tute of  this  privilege?  To  state  that  there  is  in  the  soul  a 
certain  machinery  corresponding  to  every  part  of  the  body,  is 
so  far  from  obscuring  the  divine  glory,  that  it  is  rather  an 
illustration  of  it.  Let  Epicurus  answer;  what  concourse  of 
atoms  in  the  concoction  of  food  and  drink  distributes  part  into 
excrements  and  part  into  blood,  and  causes  the  several  mem- 
bers to  perform  their  different  offices  with  as  much  diligence 
as  if  so  many  souls  by  common  consent  governed  one  body? 

V.  But  my  present  concern  is  not  'with  that  sty  of  swines: 
I  rather  address  those  who,  influenced  by  preposterous  subtle- 
ties, would  indirectly  employ  that  frigid  dogma  of  Aristotle  to 
destroy  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  deprive  God  of  his 
rights.  But  because  the  organs  of  the  body  are  directed  by 
the  faculties  of  the  soul,  they  pretend  the  soul  to  be  so  united 
to  the  body,  as  to  be  incapable  of  subsisting  without  it:  and  by 
their  eulogies  of  nature  do  all  they  can  to  suppress  the  name  of 
God.  But  the  powers  of  the  soul  are  far  from  being  limited  to 
functions  subservient  to  the  body.  For  what  concern  has  the 
body  in  measuring  the  heavens,  counting  the  number  of  the 
stars,  computing  their  several  magnitudes,  and  acquiring  a 
knowledge  of  their  respective  distances,  of  the  celerity  or  tar- 
diness of  their  courses,  and  of  the  degrees  of  their  various  de- 
clinations? I  grant  indeed  the  usefulness  of  astronomy,  but 
only  remark  that,  in  these  profound  researches  relating  to 
the  celestial  orbs,  there  is  no  corporeal  co-operation,  but  that 


CHAP,  v.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  63 

the  soul  has  its  functions  distinct  from  the  body.  I  have  pro- 
posed one  example,  whence  inferences  may  readily  be  drawn 
by  the  readers.  The  manifold  agility  of  the  soul,  which 
enables  it  to  take  a  survey  of  heaven  and  earth;  to  join  the 
past  and  the  present;  to  retain  the  memory  of  things  heard 
long  ago;  to  conceive  of  whatever  it  chooses  by  the  help  of 
imagination:  its  ingenuity  also  in  the  invention  of  such  ad- 
mirable arts,  are  certain  proofs  of  divinity  in  man.  Besides, 
in  sleep,  it  not  only  turns  and  moves  itself  round,  but  conceives 
manyHiseful  ideas,  reasons  on  various  subjects,  and  even  divines 
future  events.  What  shall  we  say,  but  that  the  vestiges  of 
immortality  impressed  upon  man  are  absolutely  indelible? 
Now  what  reason  can  be  given,  why  man,  who  is  of  divine 
original,  should  not  acknowledge  his  Creator?  Shall  we  in- 
deed, by  the  judgment,  with  which  we  are  endued,  discern 
right  from  wrong,  and  shall  there  be  no  judge  in  heaven? 
Shall  we,  even  in  our  sleep,  have  some  remains  of  intelligence, 
and  shall  there  be  no  God  awake  to  govern  the  world?  Shall 
we  be  esteemed  the  inventors  of  so  many  useful  arts,  that  God 
may  be  defrauded  of  his  praise?  Whereas  experience  abundantly 
teaches,  that  all  we  have  is  variously  distributed  to  us  by  some 
superior  Being.  The  clamour  of  some,  about  a  secret  inspira- 
tion animating  the  whole  world,  is  not  only  weak  but  alto- 
gether profane.  They  are  pleased  with  the  celebrated  passage 
of  Virgil: 

Know  first,  a  spirit,  with  an  active  flame, 

Fills,  feeds,  and  animates  this  mighty  frame; 

Runs  through  the  wat'ry  worlds,  the  fields  of  air, 

The  pond'rous  earth,  the  depths  of  heaven;  and  there 

Glows  in  the  sun  and  moon,  and  burns  in  every  star, 

Thus,  mingling  with  the  mass,  the  gen'ral  soul 

Lives  in  the  parts,  and  agitates  the  whole. 

From  that  celestial  energy  began 

The  low  brow'd  brute,  th'  imperial  race  of  man, 

The  painted  birds  who  wing  th'  aerial  plain, 

And  all  the  mighty  monsters  of  the  main: 

Their  souls  at  first  from  high  Olympus  came,  &c.  (c) 

(c)'JEneid  vi.  Pitt's  Translation. 


64.  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

Just  as  if  the  world,  which  is  a  theatre  erected  for  displaying 
the  glory  of  God,  were  its  own'  creator.  For  thus  writes  the 
same  Poet  in  another  place,  following  the  common  opinion  of 
the  Greeks  and  Latins: 

Led  by  such  wonders,  sages  have  opin'd, 
That  bees  have  portions  of  an  heavenly  mind; 
That  God  pervades,  and,  like  one  common  soul, 
Fills,  feeds,  and  animates  the  world's  great  whole; 
That  flocks,  herds,  beasts,  and  men  from  him  receive 
Their  vital  breath,  in  him  all  move  and  live; 
That  souls  discerpt  from  him  shall  never  die, 
But  back  resolv'd  to  God  and  heav'n  shall  fly, 
And  live  for  ever  in  the  starry  sky.  (</) 

See  the  efficacy  of  that  jejune  speculation  concerning  an 
universal  mind  animating  and  actuating  the  world,  in  the 
production  and  encouragement  of  piety  in  the  human  heart. 
This  more  fully  appears  also  from  the  profane  expressions  of 
the  filthy  Lucretius,  which  are  deductions  from  the  same  prin- 
ciple, (e)  Its  true  tendency  is  to  set  up  a  shadowy  deity,  and 
to  banish  all  ideas  of  the  true  God,  the  proper  object  of  fear 
and  worship.  I  confess  indeed  that  the  expression,  that  na- 
ture is  God,  may  be  used  in  a  pious  sense  by  a  pious  mind: 
but  as  it  is  harsh  and  inconsistent  with  strict  propriety  of 
speech,  nature  being  rather  an  order  prescribed  by  God,  it  is 
dangerous  in  matters  so  momentous,  and  demanding  peculiar 
caution,  to  confound  the  Deity  with  the  inferior  course  of  his 
works. 

VI.  Let  us  remember  then  in  every  consideration  of  our 
own  nature,  that  there  is  one  God,  who  governs  all  natures, 
and  who  expects  us  to  regard  him,  to  direct  our  faith  to  him, 
to  worship  and  invoke  him.  For  nothing  is  more  preposterous 
than  to  enjoy  such  splendid  advantages,  which  proclaim  within 
us  their  divine  origin,  and  to  neglect  the  Author  who  bounti- 
fully bestows  them.  Now  what  illustrious  specimens  of  his 
power  have  we  to  arrest  our  attention?  unless  it  be  possible 

(<0  Georg.  iv.  Watson's  Translation.  (e)  De  Rerum  Natur.  lib.  I. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  65 

for  us  not  to  know  what  strength  is  required  to  sustain  with 
his  word  this  immense  fabric  of  heaven  and  earth;  now  by  his 
mere  nod  to  shake  the  heaven  with  roaring  peals  of  thunder, 
to  consume  whatever  he  choose  with  lightnings,  and  set  the 
hemisphere  on  fire  with  the  flame;  now  to  disturb  it  with  tem- 
pests in  various  forms,  and  immediately,  if  he  please,  to  com- 
pose all  to  instantaneous  serenity:  to  restrain,  suspended  as  it 
were  in  air,  the  sea,  which,  by  its  elevation,  seems  to  threaten 
the  earth  with  continual  devastation;  now  raising  it  in  a  tre- 
mendous manner,  by  the  tumultuous  violence  of  the  winds,  and 
now  appeasing  the  waves  to  render  it  calm.  To  this  purpose 
are  the  numerous  praises  of  the  power  of  God,  drawn  from  the 
testimonies  of  nature,  particularly  in  the  book  of  Job,  and  in 
the  prophecies  of  Isaiah;  which  I  now  purposely  omit,  as  they 
will  be  more  suitably  introduced,  when  I  discuss  the  scriptural 
account  of  the  creation  of  the  world.  Only  I  wished  at  present 
to  hint,  that  this  way  of  seeking  God,  by  tracing  the  lineaments 
which,  both  above  and  below  us,  exhibit  such  a  lively  adumbra- 
tion of  him,  is  common  to  aliens,  and  to  those  who  belong  to 
his  family.  His  power  leads  us  to  the  consideration  of  his  eter- 
nity; because  he,  from  whom  all  things  derive  their  orgin, 
must  necessarily  be  eternal,  and  self-existent.  But  if  we  in- 
quire the  reason  that  induced  him  first  to  create  all  things, 
and  now  to  preserve  them,  we  shall  find  the  sole  cause  to  be 
his  own  goodness.  But  though  this  be  the  only  cause,  it  should 
be  more  than  sufficient  to  attract  us  to  love  him:  since,  accord- 
ing to  the  Psalmist,  (/)  there  is  no  creature  that  does  not 
participate  in  the  effusions  of  his  mercy. 

VII.  In  the  second  species  of  his  works,  such  as  happen  out 
of  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  the  proofs  of  his  perfections 
are  equally  clear.  For  he  so  regulates  his  providence  in  the 
government  of  human  society,  that  while  he  exhibits,  in  in- 
numerable ways,  his  benignity  and  beneficence  to  all;  he  like- 
wise declares,  by  evident  and  daily  indications,  his  clemency 
to  the  pious,  and  his  severity  to  the  wicked  and  ungodly.  For 
no  doubt  can  be  entertained  respecting  his  punishment  of 
flagitious  crimes:  inasmuch  as  he  clearly  demonstrates  himself 

(/)  Psalm  cxlv.  9. 
VOL.  I.  I 


66  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

to  be  the  guardian  and  avenger  of  innocence,  in  prospering 
with  his  blessing  the  life  of  good  men,  in  assisting  their  neces- 
sities, assuaging  and  comforting  their  sorrows,  alleviating  their 
calamities,  and  providing  in  all  things  for  their  safety.  Nor 
should  it  perplex  or  eclipse  his  perpetual  rule  of  righteousness, 
that  he  frequently  permits  the  wicked  and  guilty  for  a  time  to 
exult  in  impunity;  but  suffers  good  men  to  be  undeservedly 
harassed  with  much  adversity,  and  even  to  be  oppressed  by 
the  iniquitous  malice  of  the  ungodly.  We  ought  rather  to 
make  a  very  different  reflection;  that  when  he  clearly  mani- 
fests his  wrath  in  the  punishment  of  one  sin,  he  hates  all  sins; 
and  that  since  he  now  passes  by  many  sins  unpunished,  there 
will  be  a  judgment  hereafter,  till  which  the  punishment  is 
deferred.  So  also,  what  ample  occasion  he  supplies  us  for  the 
consideration  of  his  mercy,  while  with  unwearied  benignity  he 
pursues  the  miserable,  calling  them  back  to  himself  with  more 
than  paternal  indulgence,  till  his  beneficence  overcomes  their 
depravity. 

VIII.  To  this  end  the  Psalmist,  (£•)  mentioning  that  God,  in 
desperate  cases,  suddenly  and  wonderfully  succours  beyond  all 
expectation  those  who  are  miserable  and  ready  to  perish,  either 
protecting  from  beasts  of  prey  such  as  are  wandering  in  de- 
serts, and  at  length  reconducting  them  into  the  right  way,  or 
supplying  with  food  the  needy  and  hungry,  or  delivering  cap- 
tives from  dreary  dungeons  and  iron  chains,  or  bringing  the 
shipwrecked  safe  into  port,  or  healing  the  diseases  of  some  who 
are  almost  dead,  or  scorching  the  earth  with  excessive  heat 
and  drought,  or  fertilizing  it  with  the  secret  showers  of  his 
mercy,  or  elevating  the  meanest  of  the  vulgar,  or  degrading 
nobles  from  their  dignified  stations;  the  Psalmist,  I  say,  having 
proposed  such  examples  as  these,  infers  from  them,  that  what 
are  accounted  fortuitous  accidents,  are  so  many  proofs  of  his 
heavenly  providence,  especially  of  his  paternal  clemency;  and 
that  hence  the  pious  have  cause  to  rejoice,  while  the  mouths  of 
the  impious  and  reprobate  are  stopped.  But  since  the  ma- 
jority of  men,  immersed  in  their  errors,  are  blind  amidst  the 
greatest  opportunities  of  seeing,  he  accounts  it  a  rare  instance 

(-    Psalm  evil. 


v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  67 

of  singular  wisdom  discreetly  to  consider  these  works  of 
God;  (A)  from  the  sight  of  which  some  who,  in  other  in- 
stances, discover  the  greatest  acuteness,  receive  ho  benefit. 
And,  notwithstanding  all  the  displays  of  the  glory  of  God, 
scarcely  one  man  in  a  hundred  is  really  a  spectator  of  it.  His 
power  and  wisdom  are  equally  conspicuous.  His  power  is 
illustriously  manifested,  when  the  ferocity  of  the  impious,  uni- 
versally deemed  insuperable,  is  quelled  in  an  instant,  their 
arrogance  subdued,  their  strongest  fortresses  demolished,  their 
weapons  and  armour  broken  in  pieces,  their  strength  diminish- 
ed, their  machinations  confounded,  and  they  fall  by  their  own 
exertions;  when  the  audacity,  which  exalted  itself  above  the 
heavens,  is  thrown  down  to  the  centre  of  the  earth:  when,  on 
the  contrary,  u  the  poor  are  raised  out  of  the  dust,  and  the 
needy  out  of  the  dunghill:"  (z)  the  oppressed  and  afflicted  ex- 
tricated from  distressing  extremities:  and  the  desperate  re- 
stored to  a  good  hope:  when  the  unarmed  are  victorious  over 
those  who  are  armed;  the  few  over  the  many;  the  weak  over 
the  strong.  But  his  wisdom  is  eminently  displayed  in  order- 
ing every  dispensation  at  the  best  possible  time,  confounding 
the  greatest  worldly  sagacity,  "  taking  the  wise  in  their  own 
craftiness,"  (>£)  and  finally  disposing  all  things  according  to  the 
dictates  of  the  highest  reason. 

IX.  We  see  that  there  is  no  need  of  any  long  or  laborious 
argumentation,  to  obtain  and  produce  testimonies  for  illus- 
trating and  asserting  the  Divine  Majesty:  since,  from  the  few 
which  we  have  selected  and  cursorily  mentioned,  it  appears, 
that  they  are  every  where  so  evident  and  obvious,  as  easily  to 
be  distinguished  by  the  eyes,  and  pointed  out  with  the  fingers. 
And  here  it  must  again  be  observed,  that  we  are  invited  to  a  \ 
knowledge  of  God;  not  such  as,  content  with  empty  specu- 
lation, merely  floats  in  the  brain,  but  such  as  will  be  solid  and  i 
fruitful,  if  rightly  received  and  rooted  in  our  hearts.  For  the 
Lord  is  manifested  by  his  perfections:  perceiving  the  influence, 
and  enjoying  the  benefits  of  which,  we  must  necessarily  be 
more  acutely  impressed  with  such  a  knowledge,  than  if  we 
imagined  a  Deity,  of  whose  influence  we  had  no  perception. 

(A)  Psalm  cvii.  43.        («)  Psalm  cxtii.  7.        (*)  1  Cor.  xxxii.  19, 


68  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

Whence  we  conclude  this  to  be  the  right  way,  and  the  best 
method  of  seeking  God;  not  with  presumptuous  curiosity  to 
attempt  an  examination  of  his  essence,  which  is  rather  to  be 
adored  than  too  curiously  investigated;  but  to  contemplate 
him  in  his  works,  in  which  he  approaches  and  familiarizes,  and 
in  some  measure,  communicates  himself  to  us.  To  this  the 
Apostle  referred,  when  he  said,  that  he  is  not  to  be  sought  far 
off,  since,  by  his  attribute  of  omnipresence,  he  dwells  in  every 
one  of  us.  (/)  Therefore  David,  having  before  confessed  his 
ineffable  greatness,  after  he  descends  to  the  mention  of  his 
works,  adds,  that  he  will  "  declare  this  greatness."  (m)  Where- 
fore it  becomes  us  also  to  apply  ourselves  to  such  an  investiga- 
tion of  God,  as  may  fill  our  understanding  with  admiration, 
and  powerfully  interest  our  feelings.  And,  as  Augustine 
somewhere  teaches,  being  incapable  of  comprehending  him, 
and  fainting,  as  it  were,  under  his  immensity,  we  must  take  a 
view  of  his  works,  that  we  may  be  refreshed  with  his  good- 
ness, (n) 

X.  Now  such  a  knowledge  ought  not  only  to  excite  us  to 
the  worship  of  God,  but  likewise  to  awaken  and  arouse  us  to 
the  hope  of  a  future  life.  For  when  we  consider,  that  the 
specimens  given  by  the  Lord,  both  of  his  clemency  and  of 
his  severity,  are  only  begun  and  not  completed;  we  certainly 
should  esteem  these  as  preludes  to  greater  things,  of  which 
the  manifestation  and  full  exhibition  is  deferred  to  another 
life.  When  we  see  that  pious  men  are  loaded  with  afflictions 
by  the  impious,  harassed  with  injuries,  oppressed  with  ca- 
lumnies, and  vexed  with  contumelious  and  opprobrious  treat- 
ment; that  the  wicked,  on  the  contrary,  flourish,  prosper,  ob- 
tain ease  and  dignity,  and  all  with  impunity;  we  should 
immediately  conclude,  that  there  is  another  life,  to  which  is 
reserved  the  vengeance  due  to  iniquity,  and  the  reward  of 
righteousness.  Moreover,  when  we  observe  the  faithful  fre- 
quently chastised  by  the  Lord's  rod,  we  may  conclude,  with 
great  certainty,  that  the  impious  shall  not  always  escape  his 
vengeance.  For  that  is  a  wise  observation  of  Augustine:  "  If 
open  punishment  were  now  inflicted  for  every  sin,  it  would  be 

(/)  Acts  xvii.  27.         (m)  Psalm  cxlv.  6.         (n)  Aug.  in  Psal.  cxliv. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.    s  69 

supposed  that  nothing  would  be  reserved  till  the  last  judg- 
ment. Again,  if  God  now  did  not  openly  punish  any  sin, 
it  would  be  presumed  that  there  was  no  divine  providence."  (0) 
It  must  therefore  be  confessed,  that  in  each  of  the  works  of 
God,  but  more  especially  in  die  whole  considered  together, 
there  is  a  bright  exhibition  of  the  divine  perfections;  by 
which  the  whole  human  race  is  invited  and  allured  to  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  thence  to  true  and  complete  felicity. 
But  though  those  perfections  are  most  luminously  pourtrayed 
around  us,  we  only  discover  their  principal  tendency,  their 
use,  and  the  end  of  our  contemplation  of  them,  when  we 
descend  into  our  own  selves,  and  consider,  by  what  means 
God  displays  in  us  his  life,  wisdom,  and  power,  and  exercises 
towards  us  his  righteousness,  goodness,  and  mercy.  For  though 
David  jusdy  complains,  that  unbelievers  are  fools,  because 
they  consider  not  the  profound  designs  of  God  in  the  govern- 
ment of  mankind;  (/>)  yet  there  is  much  truth  in  what  he  says 
in  another  place,  that  the  wonders  of  Divine  Wisdom  in  this 
respect  exceed  in  number  the  hairs  of  our  head.  (<f)  But 
as  this  argument  must  be  treated  more  at  large  in  due  course, 
I  at  present  omit  it. 

XI.  But,  notwithstanding  the  clear  representations  given 
by  God  in  the  mirror  of  his  works,  both  of  himself  and  of 
his  everlasting  dominion,  such  is  our  stupidity,  that,  always 
inattentive  to  these  obvious  testimonies,  we  derive  no  ad- 
vantage from  them.  For,  with  regard  to  the  structure  and 
very  beautiful  organization  of  the  world,  how  few  of  us  are 
there,  who,  when  lifting  up  their  eyes  to  heaven,  or  looking 
round  on  the  various  regions  of  the  earth,  direct  their  minds 
to  the  remembrance  of  the  Creator,  and  do  not  rather  con- 
tent themselves  with  a  view  of  his  works,  to  the  total  neglect 
of  their  Author?  And  with  respect  to  those  things  that  daily 
happen  out  of  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  is  it  not  the 
general  opinion,  that  men  are  rolled  and  whirled  about  by 
the  blind  temerity  of  fortune,  rather  than  governed  by  the 
providence  of  God?  Or  if,  by  the  guidance  and  direction 
of  these  things,  we  are  ever  driven  (as  all  men  must  sometimes 

(o)  De  Civit.  Dei.  lib.  I.  cap.  8.       (/»)  Psalm  xcii.  6.       (?)  Psalm  xl.  12. 


70  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

be)  to  the  consideration  of  a  God;  yet,  when  we  have  rashly 
conceived  an  idea  of  some  Deity,  we  soon  slide  into  our  own 
carnal  dreams,  or  depraved  inventions,  corrupting  by  our 
vanity  the  purity  of  divine  truth.  We  differ  from  one  an- 
other, in  that  each  individual  imbibes  some  peculiarity  of  error: 
but  we  perfectly  agree  in  an  universal  departure  from  the  one 
true  God,  to  preposterous  trifles.  This  disease  affects,  not 
only  the  vulgar  and  ignorant,  but  the  most  eminent,  and  those 
who,  in  other  things,  discover  peculiar  sagacity.  How  abun- 
dantly have  all  the  philosophers,  in  this  respect,  betrayed  their 
stupidity  and  folly!  For,  to  spare  others,  chargeable  with 
greater  absurdities,  Plato  himself,  the  most  religious  and  judi- 
cious of  them  all,  loses  himself  in  his  round  globe,  (r)  And 
what  would  not  befal  others,  when  their  principal  men,  whose 
place  it  was  to  excel  the  rest,  stumble  upon  such  gross  de- 
ceptions! So  also,  while  the  government  of  human  actions 
proves  a  providence  too  plainly  to  admit  of  a  denial,  men 
derive  no  more  advantage  from  it,  than  if  they  believed  all 
things  to  be  agitated  forwards  and  backwards  by  the  uncer- 
tain caprice  of  fortune:  so  great  is  our  propensity  to  vanity 
and  error!  I  speak  exclusively  of  the  excellent  of  mankind, 
not  of  the  vulgar,  whose  madness  in  the  profanation  of  divine 
truth  has  known  no  bounds. 

XII.  Hence  that  immense  flood  of  errors,  which  has  de- 
luged the  whole  world.  For  every  man's  understanding  is 
like  a  labyrinth  to  him:  so  that  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at, 
that  the  different  nations  were  drawn  aside  into  various  inven- 
tions, and  even  that  ajmost  every  individual  had  his  own  parti- 
cular deity.  For,  amidst  the  union  of  temerity  and  wanton- 
ness with  ignorance  and  darkness,  scarcely  a  man  could  be 
found,  who  did  not  frame  to  himself  some  idol  or  phantasm 
instead  of  God.  Indeed,  the  immense  multitude  of  gods  pro- 
ceeding from  the  mind  of  man,  resembles  the  ebullition  of 
waters  from  a  vast  and  ample  spring,  while  every  one,  with 
an  extreme  licentiousness  of  error,  invents  one  thing  or 
another  concerning  God  himself.  It  is  not  necessary  here  to 
compose  a  catalogue  of  the  superstitions  which  have  perplexed 

(r)  Plut.  de  Fhilosoph.  phcitis,  lib.  1.  Plato  in  Timsco.  Ctc.lib.  l.de  Natur. 
Deor. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  71 

the  world;  for  it  would  be  an  endless  task:  and,  without  a 
word  more  being  said,  the  horrible  blindness  of  the  human 
mind  sufficiently  appears  from  such  a  multiplicity  of  corrup- 
tions. I  pass  over  the  rude  and  unlearned  vulgar.  But 
among  the  philosophers,  (*)  who  attempted  with  reason  and 
learning  to  penetrate  heaven,  how  shameful  is  the  diver- 
sity! In  proportion  to  the  vigour  of  his  natural  genius, 
and  the  polish  acquired  by  art  and  science,  each  of  them 
seemed  to  give  the  more  specious  colouring  to  his  own 
opinion:  but,  on  a  close  inspection,  you  will  find  them  all 
fading  colours.  The  Stoics  said,  in  their  own  opinion  very 
shrewdly,  that  from  all  the  parts  of  nature  may  be  collected 
various  names  of  God,  but  yet  that  the  one  God  is  not  there- 
fore divided.  (?)  As  if  we  were  not  already  too  much  inclined 
to  vanity,  without  being  farther  and  more  violently  seduced 
into  error,  by  the  notion  of  such  a  various  abundance  of  gods. 
The  mystical  theology  of  the  Egyptians  also  shews,  that  they 
all  sedulously  endeavoured  to  preserve  the  appearance  of  reason 
in  the  midst  of  their  folly,  (u)  And  any  thing  apparently 
probable  might,  at  first  sight,  perhaps  deceive  the  simple  and 
incautious;  but  there  never  was  any  human  invention  by  which 
religion  was  not  basely  corrupted.  And  this  confused  diversity 
emboldened  the  Epicureans,  and  other  gross  despisers  of  piety,  to 
reject  all  idea  of  God.  For,  seeing  the  wisest  of  men  contending 
with  each  other  for  contrary  opinions,  they  hesitated  not,  from 
their  dissections,  and  from  the  frivolous  and  absurd  doctrines 
maintained  by  the  different  parties,  to  infer,  that  it  was  vain 
and  foolish  for  men  to  torment  themselves  with  investigations 
concerning  God,  who  does  not  exist.  And  this  they  thought 
they  might  do  with  impunity,  supposing  that  a  compendious 
denial  of  any  God  at  all,  would  be  better  than  feigning  uncer- 
tain gods,  and  thereby  occasioning  endless  controversies.  They 
reason  very  ignorantly,  or  rather  endeavour  to  conceal  their 
own  impiety  behind  the  ignorance  of  men,  which  not  at  all 
justifies  any  encroachment  on  God.  But  from  the  general 
confession,  that  there  is  no  subject  productive  of  so  many  dis- 

(*)  Lactant  Institut.  div. 

(0  Seneca,  lib.  4.  de  benef.  &c. 

(»)  Plutarch.  lib.  1.  de  Isid.  i?  Osirid.  Cic.  lib.  1.  de  Nat.  Deor. 


72  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

sentions  among  the  learned  as  well  as  the  unlearned,  it  is 
inferred,  that  the  minds  of  men,  which  err  so  much  in  investi- 
gations concerning  God,  are  extremely  blind  and  stupid  in 
celestial  mysteries.  Others  commend  the  answer  of  Si- 
monides,  (rt>)  who,  being  asked,  by  Hiero  the  Tyrant,  what 
God  was,  requested  a  day  to  consider  it.  When  the  tyrant, 
the  next  day,  repeated  the  inquiry,  he  begged  to  be  allowed 
two  days  longer.  And,  having  often  doubled  the  number  of 
days,  at  length  answered,  "The  longer  I  consider  the  subject, 
the  more  obscure  it  appears  to  me."  He  prudently  suspended 
his  opinion  on  a  subject  so  obscure  to  him;  yet  this  shews, 
that  men,  who  are  taught  only  by  nature,  have  no  certain, 
sound,  or  distinct  knowledge,  but  are  confined  to  confused 
principles;  so  that  they  worship  an  unknown  God. 

XIII.  Now  it  must  also  be  maintained,  that  whoever  adul- 
terates the  pure  religion,  (which  must  necessarily  be  the  case 
of  all  who  are  influenced  by  their  own  imagination,)  he  is 
guilty  of  a  departure  from  the  one  God.  They  will  profess, 
indeed,  a  different  intention:  but  what  they  intend,  or  what 
they  persuade  themselves,  is  of  little  importance;  since  the 
Holy  Spirit  pronounces  all  to  be  apostates,  who,  in  the  dark- 
ness of  their  minds,  substitute  demons  in  the  place  of  God. 
For  this  reason  Paul  declares  the  Ephesians  to  have  been 
**  without  God "  (#) — till  they  had  learned  from  the  Gospel 
the  worship  of  the  true  God.  Nor  should  this  be  restricted 
to  one  nation  only,  since,  in  another  place,  he  asserts  of  men  in 
general,  that  they  "became  vain  in  their  imaginations,"  (z/) 
after  the  majesty  of  the  Creator  had  been  discovered  to  them 
in  the  structure  of  the  world.  And  therefore  the  Scripture, 
to  make  room  for  the  only  true  God,  condemns,  as  false  and 
lying,  whatever  was  formerly  worshipped  as  divine  among  the 
Gentiles;  (2)  and  leaves  no  deity  but  in  mount  Sion,  where 
flourished  the  peculiar  knowledge  of  God.  Indeed,  among  the 
Gentiles,  the  Samaritans,  in  the  days  of  Christ,  seemed  to  ap- 
proach very  nearly  to  true  piety;  yet  we  hear,  from  the  mouth 
of  Christ,  that  they  "  worshipped  they  knew  not  what:"  (a) 
whence  it  follows,  that  they  were  under  a  vain  and  erroneous 

(w)  Cic.  lib.  1.  de  Nat.  Dcor.  (or)  Ephes.  ii.  12. 

fa)  Rom.  i.  21.        (z)  Heb.  ii.  18,  20.        (a)  John  iv.  22. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  73 

delusion.  In  fine,  though  they  were  not  all  the  subjects  of  gross 
vices,  or  open  idolaters,  there  was  no  pure  and  approved  re- 
ligion, their  notions  being  founded  only  in  common  sense.  For 
though  there  were  a  few  uninfected  with  the  madness  of  the 
vulgar,  this  assertion  of  Paul  remains  unshaken,  that  "  none 
of  the  princes  of  this  world  knew  the  wisdom  of  God."  (£) 
But  if  the  most  exalted  have  been  involved  in  the  darkness  of 
error,  what  must  be  said  of  the  dregs  of  the  people?  Where- 
fore it  is  not  surprising  if  the  Holy  Spirit  reject,  as  spurious, 
eyery  form  of  worship  which  is  of  human  contrivance:  be- 
cause, in  the  mysteries  of  heaven,  an  opinion  acquired  by 
human  means,  though  it  may  not  always  produce  an  immense 
mass  of  errors,  yet  always  produces  some.  And  though 
no  worse  consequence  follow,  it  is  no  trivial  fault,  to  wor- 
ship, at  an  uncertainty,  an  unknown  god:  of  which,  how- 
ever, Christ  pronounces  all  to  be  guilty,  who  have  not  been 
taught  by  the  law  what  god  they  ought  to  worship.  And 
indeed  the  best  legislators  have  proceeded  no  farther  than  to 
declare  religion  to  be  founded  on  common  consent.  And  even 
Socrates,  in  Xenophon,  (c)  praises  the  answer  of  Apollo,  which 
directed  that  every  man  should  worship  the  gods  according  to 
the  rites  of  his  country,  and  the  custom  of  his  own  city.  But 
whence  had  mortals  this  right  of  determining,  by  their  own 
authority,  what  far  exceeds  all  the  world?  or  who  could  so 
acquiesce  in  the  decrees  of  the  rulers  or  the  ordinances  of  the 
people,  as  without  hesitation  to  receive  a  god  delivered  t6 
him  by  the  authority  of  man?  Every  man  will  rather  abide 
by  his  own  judgment,  than  be  subject  to  the  will  of  another. 
Since,  then,  the  following  of  the  custom  of  a  city,  or  the  con- 
sent of  antiquity,  in  divine  worship,  is  too  weak  and  frail  a  bond 
of  piety,  it  remains  for  God  himself  to  give  a  revelation  con- 
cerning himself  from  heaven. 

XIV.  Vain,  therefore,  is  the  light  afforded  us  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  world  to  illustrate  the  glory  of  its  Author:  which, 
though  its  rays  be  diffused  all  around  us,  is  insufficient  to 
conduct  us  into  the  right  way.  Some  sparks  indeed  are 
kindled,  but  smothered  before  they  have  emitted  any  great 

(6)  I  Cor.  ii.  8. 

(c)  Xenoph.  de  Diet  et  Fact.  Socrat.  lib.  1.  Cic.  de  Legib.  Ub.  2. 
VOL.  I.  K 


74  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

degree  of  light.  Wherefore  the  Apostle,  in  the  place  before 
cited,  says,  "  By  faith  we  understand  that  the  worlds  were 
framed  by  the  word  of  God;"  (</)  thus  intimating,  that  the 
invisible  Deity  was  represented  by  such  visible  objects,  yet 
that  we  have  no  eyes  to  discern  him,  unless  they  be  illuminated 
through  faith  by  an  internal  revelation  of  God.  Nor  does 
Paul,  where  he  observes  that  "  that  which  may  be  known  of 
God  is  manifest"  (e)  in  the  creation  of  the  world,  design  such  a 
manifestation  as  human  sagacity  may  comprehend;  but  rather 
shews,  that  its  utmost  extent  is  to  render  men  inexcuseable. 
The  same  writer  also,  though  in  one  place  (y)  he  denies  that 
God  is  to  be  traced  as  if  he  were  at  a  great  distance  from  us, 
yet  teaches,  in  another  place,  (g)  the  consequences  of  such  a 
proximity.  God,  says  he,  "  in  times  past  suffered  all  nations 
to  walk  in  their  own  ways.  Nevertheless  he  left  not  himself 
without  witness,  in  that  he  did  good,  and  gave  us  rain  from 
heaven,  and  fruitful  seasons,  filling  our  hearts  with  food  and 
gladness."  (A)  Though  the  Lord,  then,  is  not  destitute  of  a  testi- 
mony concerning  himself,  while  with  various  and  most  abun- 
dant benignity  he  sweetly  allures  mankind  to  the  knowledge  of 
him:  yet  they  persist  in  following  their  own  ways,  their  perni- 
cious and  fatal  errors. 

XV.  But  whatever  deficiency  of  natural  ability  prevents 
us  from  attaining  the  pure  and  clear  knowledge  of  God:  yet 
since  that  deficiency  arises  from  our  own  fault,  we  are  left 
without  any  excuse.  Nor  indeed  can  we  set  up  any  pretence 
of  ignorance,  that  will  prevent  our  own  consciences  from 
perpetually  accusing  us  of  indolence  and  ingratitude.  Truly 
it  would  be  a  defence  worthy  to  be  admitted,  if  a  man  should 
plead  that  he  wanted  ears  to  hear  the  truth,  for  the  publica- 
tion of  which  even  the  mute  creatures  are  supplied  with  most 
melodious  voices;  if  he  should  allege  that  his  eyes  are  not 
capable  of  seeing  what  is  demonstrated  by  the  creatures,  with- 
out the  help  of  the  eyes;  if  he  should  plead  mental  imbecility, 
while  all  the  irrational  creatures  instruct  us.  Wherefore  we  are 
justly  excluded  from  all  excuse  for  our  uncertain  and  extrava- 
gant deviations,  since  alL  things  conspire  to  shew  us  the  right 

(d)  Heb.  xi.  3.  (0  Rom.  i.  19.  (/)  Rom.  i.  20. 

Cg-)  Acts  xvii.  27.  (A)Acts  xiv.  16,  17, 


CHAP,  vi.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  75 

way.  But  however  men  are  chargeable  with  sinfully  corrupt- 
ing the  seeds  of  divine  knowledge,  which,  by  the  wonderful 
operation  of  nature,  are  sown  in  their  hearts,  so  that  they 
produce  no  good  and  fair  crop;  yet  it  is  beyond  a  doubt,  that 
the  simple  testimony  magnificently  borne  by  the  creatures  to 
the  glory  of  God,  is  very  insufficient  for  our  instruction.  For 
as  soon  as  a  survey  of  the  world  has  just  shewn  us  a  deity, 
neglecting  the  true  God,  we  set  up  in  his  stead  the  dreams 
and  phantasms  of  our  own  brains;  and  confer  on  them,  the 
praise  of  righteousness,  wisdom,  goodness,  and  power,  due  to 
him.  We  either  obscure  his  daily  acts,  or  pervert  them  by 
an  erroneous  estimate;  thereby  depriving  the  acts  themselves 
of  their  glory,  and  their  Author  of  his  deserved  praise. 


WkWVVWWWW 

CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Guidance  and  Teaching'  of  the  Scripture  necessary  to  lead 
to  the  Knowledge  of  God  the  Creator. 

L  HOUGH  the  light  which  presents  itself  to  all  eyes,  both 
in  heaven  and  in  earth,  is  more  than  sufficient  to  deprive  the 
ingratitude  .of  men  of  every  excuse,  since  God,  in  order  to 
involve  all  mankind  in  the  same  guilt,  sets  before  them  all, 
without  exception,  an  exhibition  of  his  majesty,  delineated  in 
the  creatures;  yet  we  need  another  and  better  assistance,  pro- 
perly to  direct  us  to  the  Creator  of  the  world.  Therefore  he 
hath  not  unnecessarily  added  the  light  of  his  word,  to  make 
himself  known  unto  salvation,  and  hath  honoured  with  this 
privilege  those  whom  he  intended  to  unite  in  a  more  close  and 
familiar  connection  with  himself.  For,  seeing  the  minds  of  all 
men  to  be  agitated  with  unstable  dispositions,  when  he  had 
chosen  the  Jews  as  his  peculiar  flock,  he  enclosed  them  as  in 
a  fold,  that  they  might  not  wander  after  the  vanities  of  other 
nations.  And  it  is  not  without  cause  that  he  preserves  us  in 
the  pure  knowledge  of  himself  by  the  same  means;  for,  other- 
wise, they  who  seem  comparatively  to  stand  firm,  would  soon 
fall.  For  as  persons  who  are  old,  or  whose  eyes  are  by  any 
means  become  dim,  if  you  shew  them  the  most  beautiful  book, 


76  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

though  they  perceive  something  written,  but  can  scarcely  read 
two  words  together;  yet,  by  the  assistance  of  spectacles,  will 
begin  to  read  distinctly:  so  the  Scripture,  collecting  in  our 
minds  the  otherwise  confused  notions  of  deity,  dispels  the 
darkness,  and  gives  us  a  clear  view  of  the  true  God.  This, 
then,  is  a  singular  favour,  that,  in  the  instruction  of  the  Church, 
God  not  only  uses  mute  teachers,  but  even  opens  his  own 
sacred  mouth:  not  only  proclaims  that  some  god  ought  to  be 
worshipped,  but  at  the  same  time  pronounces  himself  to  be 
the  Being  to  whom  this  worship  is  due;  and  not  only  teaches 
the  elect  to  raise  their  view  to  a  deity,  but  also  exhibits 
himself  as  the  object  of  their  contemplation.  This  method 
he  hath  observed  toward  his  Church  from  the  beginning;  be- 
side those  common  lessons  of  instruction,  to  afford  them  also 
his  word;  which  furnishes  a  more  correct  and  certain  criterion 
to  distinguish  him  from  all  fictitious  deities.  And  it  was  un- 
doubtedly by  this  assistance  that  Adam,  Noah,  Abraham,  and 
the  rest  of  the  patriarchs,  attained  to  that  familiar  knowledge 
which  distinguished  them  from  unbelievers.il  speak  not  yet 
of  the  peculiar  doctrine  of  faith,  which  illuminated  them  into 
the  hope  of  eternal  life.  For,  to  pass  from  death  to  life,  they 
must  have  known  God,  not  only  as  the  Creator,  but  also  as 
the  Redeemer:1  as  they  certainly  obtained  both  from  his  word. 
For  that  species  of  knowledge,  which  related  to  him  as  the 
Creator  and  Governor  of  the  world,  in  order,  preceded  the 
other.  To  this  was  afterwards  added  the  other  internal  know- 
ledge, which  alone  vivifies  dead  souls,  and  apprehends  God, 
not  only  as  the  Creator  of  the  world,  and  as  the  sole  Author 
and  Arbiter  of  all  events,  but  also  as  the  Redeemer  in  the 
person  of  the  Mediator.  But  being  not  yet  come  to  the  fall  of 
man  and  the  corruption  of  nature,  I  also  forbear  to  treat  of 
the  remedy.  Let  the  Reader  remember,  therefore,  that  I  am 
•not  yet  treating  of  that  covenant  by  which  God  adopted  the 
children  of  Abraham;  and  of  that  point  of  doctrine  by  which 
believers  have  always  been  particularly  separated  from  the 
profane  nations;  since  that  is  founded  on  Christ:  but  am  only 
shewing  how  we  ought  to  learn  from  the  Scripture,  that  God, 
who  created  the  world,  may  be  certainly  distinguished  from 
the  whole  multitude  of  fictitious  deities.  The  scries  of  sub- 


CHAP,  vi.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  77 

jects  will,  in  due  time,  lead  us  to  redemption.  But  though  we 
shall  adduce  many  testimonies  from  the  New  Testament,  and 
some  also  from  the  Law  and  the  Prophets,  in  which  Christ 
is  expressly  mentioned;  yet  they  will  all  tend  to  prove,  that 
the  Scripture  discovers  God  to  us  as  the  Creator  of  the  world, 
and  declares  what  sentiments  we  should  form  of  him,  that  we 
may  not  be  seeking  after  a  deity  in  a  labyrinth  of  uncer- 
tainty. 

II.  But,  whether  God  revealed  himself  to  the  patriarchs  by 
oracles  and  visions,  or  suggested,  by  means  of  the  ministry  of 
men,  what  should  be  handed  down  by  tradition  to  their 
posterity,  it  is  beyond  a  doubt  that  their  minds  were  impressed 
with  a  firm  assurance  of  the  doctrine,  so  that  they  were  per- 
suaded and  convinced  that  the  information  they  had  received 
came  from  God.  For  God  always  secured  to  his  word  an 
undoubted  credit,  superior  to  all  human  opinion.  At  length, 
that  the  truth  might  remain  in  the  world  in  a  continual  course 
of  instruction  to  all  ages,  he  determined  that  the  same  oracles 
which  he  had  deposited  with  the  patriarchs  should  be  committed 
to  public  records.  With  this  design  the  Law  was  promulgated, 
to  which  the  Prophets  were  afterwards  annexed,  as  its  inter- 
preters.— For,  though  the  uses  of  the  law  were  many,  as  will 
be  better  seen  in  the  proper  place;  and  particularly  the  inten- 
tion of  Moses,  and  of  all  the  prophets,  was  to  teach  the  mode  of 
reconciliation  between  God  and  man,  (whence  also  Paul  calls 
Christ  "  the  end  of  the  law;")  (A)  yet  I  repeat  again,  that,  be- 
side the  peculiar  doctrine  of  faith  and  repentance,  which  pro- 
poses Christ  as  the  Mediator,  the  Scripture  distinguishes  the 
only  true  God  by  certain  characters  and  titles,  as  the  Creator 
and  Governor  of  the  world,  that  he  may  not  be  confounded 
with  the  multitude  of  false  gods.  [Therefore,  though  every  man 
should  seriously  apply  himself  to  a  consideration  of  the  works 
of  God,  being  placed  in  this  very  splendid  theatre  to  be  a 
spectator  of  them;  yet  he  ought  principally  to  attend  to  the 
word,  that  he  may  attain  superior  advantagesT]  And,  indeed, 
it  is  not  surprising,  that  they  who  are  born  in  darkness  grow 
more  and  more  hardened  in  their  stupidity;  since  very  few 

(A)  Rom.  x.  4. 


78  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

attend  to  the  word  of  God  with  teachable  dispositions,  to  re- 
strain themselves  within  the  limits  which  it  prescribes,  but 
rather  exult  in  their  own  vanity.  This,  then,  must  be  con- 
sidered as  a  fixed  principle,  that,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  light 
of  true  religion,  we  ought  to  begin  with  the  doctrine  of 
heaven;  and  that  no  man  can  have  the  least  knowledge  of  true 
and  sound  doctrine,  without  having  been  a  disciple  of  the 
Scripture.  Hence  originates  all  true  wisdom,  when  we  em- 
brace with  reverence  the  testimony  which  God  hath  been 
pleased  therein  to  deliver  concerning  himself.  For  obedience 
is  the  source,  not  only  of  an  absolutely  perfect  and  complete 
faith,  but  of  all  right  knowledge  of  God.  And  truly,  in  this 
instance,  God  hath,  in  his  providence,  particularly  consulted 
the  true  interest  of  mankind  in  all  ages. 

III.  For,  if  we  consider  the  mutability  of  the  human  mind, 
how  easy  its  lapse  into  forgetfulness  of  God,  how  great  its 
propensity  to  errors  of  every  kind,  how  violent  its  rage  for 
the  perpetual  fabrication  of  new  and  false  religions;  it  will  be 
easy  to  perceive  the  necessity  of  the  heavenly  doctrine  being 
thus  committed  to  writing,  that  it  might  not  be  lost  in  obli- 
vion, or  evaporate  in  error,  or  be  corrupted  by  the  presumption 
of  men.  Since  it  is  evident,  therefore,  that  God,  foreseeing  the 
inefficacy  of  his  manifestation  of  himself  in  the  exquisite  struc- 
ture of  the  world,  hath  afforded  the  assistance  of  his  word  to  all 
those  to  whom  he  determined  to  make  his  instructions  effectual; 
if  we  seriously  aspire  to  a  sincere  contemplation  of  God,  it 
is  necessary  for  us  to  pursue  this  right  way.  We  must  come, 
I  say,  to  the  word,  which  contains  a  just  and  lively  description 
of  God  as  he  appears  in  his  works,  when  those  works  are 
estimated,  not  according  to  our  depraved  judgment,  but  by 
the  rule  of  eternal  truth.  If  we  deviate  from  it,  as  I  have  just 
observed,  though  we  run  with  the  utmost  celerity,  yet,  being 
out  of  the  course,  we  shall  never  reach  the  goal.  For  it  must 
be  concluded,  that  the_  light  of  the  Divine  countenance,  which 
even  the  Apostle  says  "  no  man  can  approach  unto,"  (£)  is  like 
an  inexplicable  labyrinth  to  us,  unless  we  are  directed  by  the 
line  of  the  word:  so  that  it  were  better  to  halt  in  this  way, 
than  to  run  with  the  greatest  rapidity  out  of  it.  Therefore 

(01Tim.vi.16. 


CHAP,  vi.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  fr9 

David,  inculcating  the  necessity  of  the  removal  of  superstitions 
out  of  the  world,  that  pure  religion  may  flourish,  frequently 
introduces  God  as  "reigning:"  (/£)  by  the  word  "reigning," 
intending,  not  the  power  which  he  possesses,  and  which  he 
exercises  in  the  universal  government  of  nature,  but  the  doc- 
trine in  which  he  asserts  his  legitimate  sovereignty:  because 
errors  cap  never  be  eradicated  from  the  human  heart,  till  the 
knowledge  of  God  is  implanted  in  it. 

IV.  Therefore  the  same  Psalmist,  having  said,  that  "  the 
heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God;  and  the  firmament  sheweth 
his  handy-work.  Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech,  and  night 
unto  night  sheweth  knowledge,"  (/)  afterwards  proceeds  to  the 
mention  of  the  word:  "The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect, 
converting  the  soul:  the  testimony  of  the  Lord  is  sure,  making 
wise  the  simple:  the  statutes  of  the  Lord  are  right,  rejoicing 
the  heart:  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  is  pure,  enlighten- 
ing the  eyes."  For  though  he  also  comprehends  other  uses 
of  the  law,  yet  he  suggests  in  general,  that  since  God's  invita- 
tion of  all  nations  to  him  by  the  view  of  heaven  and  earth  is 
ineffectual,  this  is  the  peculiar  school  of  the  children  of  God. 
The  same  is  adverted  to  in  the  twenty-ninth  Psalm,  where 
the  Psalmist,  having  preached  the  terrors  of  the  Divine  voice, 
which  in  thunders,  in  winds,  in  showers,  in  whirlwinds,  and  in 
tempests,  shakes  the  earth,  makes  the  mountains  tremble,  and 
breaks  the  cedars,  adds,  at  length,  towards  the  close,  "  in  his 
temple  doth  every  one  speak  of  his  glory;"  because  unbelievers 
are  deaf  to  all  the  voices  of  God,  which  resound  in  the  air.  So, 
in  another  Psalm,  after  describing  the  terrible  waves  of  the 
sea,  he  concludes  thus:  "  Thy  testimonies  are  very  sure:  holi- 
ness becometh  thine  house,  O  Lord,  for  ever."  (m)  Hence 
also  proceeds  the  observation  of  Christ  to  the  Samaritan 
woman,  that  her  nation  and  all  others  worshipped  they  knew 
not  what;  and  that  the  Jews  were  the  only  worshippers  of  the 
true  God.  (ra)  For  since  the  human^mind  is  unable,  through 
its  imbecility,  to  attain  any  knowledge  of  God  without  the 
assistance  of  his  sacred  word,  all  mankind,  except  the  Jews, 
as  they  sought  God  without  the  word,  must  necessarily  have 
been  wandering  in  vanity  and  error. 

(k)  Ps.  xciii.  96,  &c.     (0  Ps.  xix.  1,  &c.    (m)  Ps.  xciii.  5.     (M)  John  ir.  22. 


80  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Testimony  of  the  Spirit  necessary  to  confirm  the  Scripture, 
in  order  to  the  complete  Establishment  of  its  Authority.  The 
Suspension  of  its  Authority  on  the  'Judgment  of  the  Church,  an 
impious  Fiction. 

BEFORE  I  proceed  any  farther,  it  is  proper  to  introduce 
some  remarks  on  the  authority  of  the  Scripture,  not  only  to 
prepare  the  mind  to  regard  it  with  due  reverence,  but  also 
to  remove  every  doubt.  For,  when  it  is  admitted  to  be  a  de- 
claration of  the  word  of  God,  no  man  can  be  so  deplorably 
presumptuous,  unless  he  be  also  destitute  of  common  sense 
and  of  the  common  feelings  of  men,  as  to  dare  to  derogate 
from  the  credit  due  to  the  speaker.  But  since  we  are  not 
favoured  with  daily  Oracles  from  heaven,  and  since  it  is  only 
in  the  Scriptures  that  the  Lord  hath  been  pleased  to  preserve 
his  truth  in  perpetual  remembrance;  it  obtains  the  same  com- 
plete credit  and  authority  with  believers,  when  they  are  satis- 
fied of  its  divine  origin,  as  if  they  heard  the  very  words  pro- 
nounced by  God  himself.  The  subject,  indeed,  merits  a  diffuse 
discussion,  and  a  most  accurate  examination.  But  the  reader 
will  pardon  me,  if  I  attend  rather  to  what  the  design  of  this; 
work  admits,  than  to  what  the  extensive  nature  of  the  present 
subject  requires.  But  there  has  very  generally  prevailed  a 
most  pernicious  error,  that  the  Scriptures  have  only  so  much 
weight  as  is  conceded  to  them  by  the  suffrages  of  the  Church: 
as  though  the  eternal  and  inviolable  truth  of  God  depended 
on  the  arbitrary  will  of  men.  For  thus,  with  great  contempt 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  inquire,  Who  can  assure  us  that  God 
is  the  author  of  them?  Who  can  with  certainty  affirm,  that 
they  have  been  preserved  safe  and  uncorrupted  to  the  present 
age?  Who  can  persuade  us,  that  this  book  ought  to  be 
received  with  reverence,  and  that  expunged  from  the  sacred 
number;  unless  all  these  things  were  regulated  by  the  decisions 
of  the  Church?  It  depends  therefore  (say  they)  on  the  deter- 
mination of  the  Church,  to  decide  both  what  reverence  is  due 
to  the  Scripture,  and  what  books  are  to  be  comprised  in  its 
canon.  Thus  sacrilegious  men,  while  they  wish  to  introduce  an 
unlimited  tyranny,  under  the  name  of  the  Church,  are  totally 


CHAP,  vii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  81 

unconcerned  with  what  absurdities  they  embarrass  themselves 
and  others,  provided  they  can  extort  from  the  ignorant  this 
one  admission,  that  the  Church  can  do  every  thing.  But,  if 
this  be  true,  what  will  be  the  condition  of  those  wretched  con- 
sciences, which  are  seeking  a  solid  assurance  of  eternal  life, 
if  all  the  promises  extant  concerning  it  rest  only  on  the  judg- 
ment of  men?  Will  the  reception  of  such  an  answer  cause 
their  fluctuations  to  subside,  and  their  terrors  to  vanish? 
Again,  how  will  the  impious  ridicule  our  faith,  and  all  men 
call  it  in  question,  if  it  be  understood  to  possess  only  a  pre- 
carious authority  depending  on  the  favour  of  men! 

II.  But  such  cavillers  are  completely  refuted  even  by  one 
word  of  the  Apostle.  He  testifies,  that  the  Church  is  "built 
upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and  prophets."  (o)  If 
the  doctrine  of  the  prophets  and  apostles  be  the  foundation 
of  the  Church,  it  must  have  been  certain,  antecedently  to 
the  existence  of  the  Church.  Nor  is  there  any  foundation  for 
this  cavil,  that  though  the  Church  derive  its  origin  from  the 
Scriptures,  yet  it  remains  doubtful  what  writings  are  to  be 
ascribed  to  the  prophets  and  apostles,  unless  it  be  determined 
by  the  Church.  For  if  the  Christian  Church  has  been  from, 
the  beginning  founded  on  the  writings  of  the  prophets  and  the 
preaching  of  the  apostles,  wherever  that  doctrine  is  found, 
the  approbation  of  it  has  certainly  preceded  the  formation  of 
the  Church;  since  without  it  the  Church  itself  had  never 
existed.  It  is  a  very  false  notion,  therefore,  that  the  power  of 
judging  of  the  Scripture  belongs  to  the  Church,  so  as  to  make 
the  certainty  of  it  dependent  on  the  Church's  will.  Where- 
fore, when  the  Church  receives  it,  and  seals  it  with  her  suffrage, 
she  does  not  authenticate  a  thing  otherwise  dubious  or  con- 
trovertible;  but,  knowing  it  to  be  the  truth  of  her  God,  per- 
forms a  duty  of  piety,  treating  it  with  immediate  veneration. 
But,  with  regard  to  the  question,  How  shall  we  be  persuaded 
of  its  divine  original,  unless  we  have  recourse  to  the  decree 
of  the  Church?  this  is  just  as  if  any  one  should  inquire, 
How  shall  we  learn  to  distinguish  light  from  darkness,  white 
from  black,  sweet  from  bitter?  For  the  Scripture 

(o)  Eph.  ii.  20. 

VOL.  I.  L 


82  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

as  clear  evidence  of  its  truth,  as  white  and  black  things  jo_of 
their  colour,  or  sweet  and  bitter  things  of  their  taste. 

III.  I  know,  indeed,  that  they  commonly  cite  the  opinion 
of  Augustine,  where  he  says,  "that  he  would  not  believe  the 
Gospel,  unless  he  were  influenced  by  the  authority  of  the 
Church."  (/>)  But  how  falsely  and  unfairly  this  is  cited  in  sup- 
port of  such  a  notion,  it  is  easy  to  discover  from  the  context. 
He  was  in  that  contending  with  the  Manichees,  who  wished  to 
be  credited,  without  any  controversy,  when  they  affirmed  the 
truth  to  be  on  their  side,  but  never  proved  it.  Now,  as  they 
made  the  authority  of  the  Gospel  a  pretext  in  order  to  establish 
the  credit  of  their  Manichaeus,  he  inquires  what  they  would 
do  if  they  met  with  a  man  who  did  not  believe  the  Gospel: 
with  what  kind  of  persuasion  they  would  convert  him  to  their 
opinion.  He  afterwards  adds,  "  Indeed,  I  would  not  give 
credit  to  the  Gospel,"  &c.  intending,  that  he  himself,  when  an 
alien  from  the  faith,  could  not  be  prevailed  on  to  embrace  the 
Gospel  as  the  certain  truth  of  God,  till  he  was  convinced  by 
the  authority  of  the  Church.  And  isrjt  surprising  that  an}' 
one,  yet  destitute  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  should  pay_a 
respect  to  men?  Augustine,  therefore,  does  not  there  main- 
tain that  the  faith  of  the  pious  is  founded  on  the  authority  of 
the  Church,  nor  does  he  mean  that  the  certainty  of  the  Gospel 
depends  on  it:  but,  simply,  that  unbelievers  would  have  no 
assurance  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  that  would  win  them  to 
Christ,  unless  they  were  influenced  by  the  consent  of  the 
Church.  And  a  little  before,  he  clearly  confirms  it  in  these 
words;  "  When  I  shall  have  commended  my  own  creed,  and 
derided  yours,  what  judgment,  think  you,  ought  we  to  form, 
what  conduct  ought  we  to  pursue,  but  to  forsake  those  who 
invite  us  to  acknowledge  things  that  are  certain,  and  after- 
wards command  us  to  believe  things  that  are  uncertain;  and 
to  follow  those  who  invite  us  first  to  believe  what  we  cannot 
yet  clearly  see,  that,  being  strengthened  by  faith,  we  may 
acquire  an  understanding  of  what  we  believe:  our  mind  being 
now  internally  strengthened  and  illuminated,  not  by  men,  but 
by  God  himself?"  These  are  the  express  words  of  Augustine; 

(£)  Contr.  Epist.  Fundam.  cap.  5. 


CHAP,  vii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  83* 

whence  the  inference  is  obvious  to  every  one,  that  this  holy 
man  did  not  design  to  suspend  our  faith  in  the  Scriptures  on 
the  arbitrary  decision  of  the  Church;  but  only  to  shew  (what 
we  all  confess  to  be  true)  that  they  who  are  yet  unilluminated 
by  the  Spirit  of  God,  are,  by  a  reverence  for  the  Church, 
•brought  to  such  a  docility  as  to  submit  to  learn  the  faith  of 
Christ  from  the  Gospel:  and  that  thus  the  authority  of  the 
Churah  is  an  introduction  to  prepare  us  for  the  faith  of  the 
Gospel.  For  we  see  that  he  will  have  the  certainty  of  the  pious 
to  rest  on  a  very  different  foundation.  Otherwise  I  do  not 
deny  his  frequently  urging  on  the  Manichees  the  universal  con- 
sent of  the  Church,  with  a  view  to  prove  the  truth  of  the 
Scripture,  which  they  rejected.  Whence  his  rebuke  of  Faustus, 
"for  not  submitting  to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  so  founded, 
so  established,  so  gloriously  celebrated,  and  delivered  through 
certain  successions  from  the  apostolic  age."  But  he  no  where 
insinuates  that  the  authority  which  we  attribute  to  the  Scrip- 
tures depends  on  the  definitions  or  decrees  of  men:  he  only 
produces  the  universal  judgment  of  the  Church,  which  was 
very  useful  to  his  argument,  and  gave  him  an  advantage  over 
his  adversaries.  If  any  one  desire  a  fuller  proof  of  this,  let 
him  read  his  treatise  "  Of  the  Advantage  of  Believing:"  where 
he  will  find,  that  he  recommends  no  other  facility  of  believing, 
than  such  as  may  afford  us  an  introduction,  and  be  a  proper 
beginning  of  inquiry,  as  he  expresses  himself;  yet  that  we 
should  not  be  satisfied  with  mere  opinion,  but  rest  upon  certain 
and  solid  truth. 

IV.  It  must  be  maintained,  as  I  have  before  asserted,  that 
we  are  not  established  in  the  belief  of  the  doctrine  till  we  are 
indubitably  persuaded  that  God  is  its  Author.  The  principal 
proof,  therefore,  of  the  Scriptures  is  every  where  derived  from 
the  character  of  the  Divine  Speaker.  The  prophets  and 
apostles  boast  not  of  their  own  genius,  or  any  of  those  talents 
which  conciliate  the  faith  of  the  hearers;  nor  do  they  insist  on 
arguments  from  reason;  but  bring  forward  the  sacred  name 
of  God,  to  compel  the  submission  of  the  whole  world.  We 
must  now  see  how  it  appears,  not  from  probable  supposition, 
but  from  clear  demonstration,  that  this  use  of  the  divine  name 
is  neither  rash  nor  fallacious.  Now,  if  we  wish  to  consult  the 


84  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

true  interest  of  our  consciences,  tha£  they  may  not  be  unstable 
and  wavering,  the  subjects  of  perpetual  doubt,  that  they  may 
not  hesitate  at  the  smallest  scruples,  this  persuasion  must  be 
sought  from  a  higher  source  than  human  reasons,  or  judg- 
ments, or  conjectures,  even  from  the  secret  testimony  of  the 
Spirit.  It  is  true,  that  if  we  were  inclined  to  argue  the  point, 
many  things  might  be  adduced  which  certainly  evince,  if  there 
be  any  God  in  heaven,  that  he  is  the  Author  of  the  Law,  and 
the  Prophecies,  and  the  Gospel.  Even  though  men  of  learn- 
ing and  deep  judgment  rise  up  in  opposition,  and  exert  and 
display  all  the  powers  of  their  minds  in  this  dispute:  yet,  unless 
they  are  wholly  lost  to  all  sense  of  shame,  this  confession  will 
be  extorted  from  them,  that  the  Scriptures  exhibit  the  plainest 
evidences  that  it  is  God  who  speaks  in  them,  which  manifest 
its  doctrine  to  be  divine.  And  we  shall  soon  see,  that  all  the 
books  of  the  sacred  Scripture  very  far  excel  all  other  writings. 
If  we  read  it  with  pure  eyes  and  sound  minds,  we  shall  imme- 
diately perceive  the  majesty  of  God,  which  will  subdue  our 
audacious  contradictions,  and    compel    us    to  obey  him.  Yet 
it  is  acting  a  preposterous  part,  to  endeavour  to  produce  sound 
faith  in  the  Scripture  by  disputations.  Though  indeed  I  am 
far  from  excelling  in  peculiar  dexterity  or  eloquence;  yet  if 
I  were  to  contend  with  the  most  subtle  despisers  of  God,  who 
are  ambitious  to  display  their  wit  and  their  humour  in  weak- 
ening the  authority  of  Scripture,  I   trust  I  should    be  able, 
without  difficulty,  to  silence  their  obstreperous  clamour.  And, 
if  it  were  of  any  use  to  attempt  a  refutation  of  their  cavils,  I 
would  easily  demolish  the  boasts  which  they  mutter  in  secret 
corners.  But  though  any  one  vindicates  the  sacred  word  of 
God  from  the  aspersions  of  men,  yet  this  will  not  fix  in  their 
hearts  that  assurance  which  is  essential  to  true  piety.  Religion 
appearing,  to    profane  men,  to  consist  wholly  in   opinion,  in 
order  that  they  may  not  believe  any  thing  on  foolish  or  slight 
grounds,  they  wish  and  expect  it    to  be  proved   by__rational 
arguments,  that  Moses  and  the  prophets  spake  by  divine  in- 
spiration.    But  I  reply,  that    ^he  testimony  of   the  Spirit  is 

superior  to  all  reason.  For  as  God  alone  is  a  sufficient  witness 

i      ..  — 

of  himself  in  his  own  word,  so  also  the  word  will  never  gain 
credit  in  the  hearts  of  men,  till  it  be  confirmed  by  the  internal 


CHAP,  vii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  85 

testimony  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  that  the 
same  Spirit,  who  spake  by  the  mouths  of  the  prophets,  should 
penetrate  into  our  hearts,  to  convince  us  that  they  faithfully 
delivered  the  oracles  which  were  divinely  entrusted  to  them. 
And  this  connection  is  very  suitably  expressed  in  these  words: 
"  My  Spirit  that  is  upon  thee,  and  my  word  which  I  have 
put  in  thy  mouth,  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,  nor 
out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy 
seed's  seed,  for  ever."  (jj)  Some  good  men  are  troubled  that 
they  are  not  always  prepared  with  clear  proof  to  oppose  the 
impious,  when  they  murmur  with  impunity  against  the  divine 
word.  As  though  the  Spirit  were  not  therefore  denominated 
a  "  seal,"  and  u  an  earnest,"  for  the  confirmation  of  the  faith 
of  the  pious;  because,  till  he  illuminate  their  minds,  they  are 
perpetually  fluctuating  amidst  d  multitude  of  doubts. 

V.  Let  it  be  considered,  then,  as  an  undeniable  truth,  that 
they  who  have  been  inwardly  taught  by  the  Spirit,  feel  an 
entire  acquiescence  in  the  Scripture,  and  that  it  is  self-authen- 
ticated, carrying  with  it  its  own  evidence,  and  ought  not  to 
be  made  the  subject  of  demonstration  and  arguments  from 
reason;  but  it  obtains  the  credit  which  it  deserves  with  us 
by  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit.  For  though  it  conciliate  our 
reverence  by  its  internal  majesty,  it  never  seriously  affects  us 
till  it  is  confirmed  by  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts.  Therefore, 
being  illuminated  by  him,  we  now  believe  the  divine  original 
of  the  Scripture,  not  from  our  own  judgment  or  that  of  others, 
but  we  esteem  the  certainty,  that  we  have  received  it  from 
God's  own  mouth  by  the  ministry  of  men,  to  be  superior  to 
that  of  any  human  judgment,  and  equal  to  that  of  an  intuitive 
perception  of  God  himself  in  it.  We  seek  not  arguments  or 
probabilities  to  support  our  judgment,  but  submit  our  judg- 
ments and  understandings  as  to  a  thing,  concerning  which  it 
is  impossible  for  us  to  judge.  And  that  not  like  some  persons, 
who  are  in  the  habit  of  hastily  embracing  what  they  do  not 
understand,  which  displeases  them  as  soon  as  they  examine  it; 
but  because  Hve  feel  the  firmest  conviction  that  we  hold  an  in- 
vincible truth:  nor  like  those  unhappy  men,  who  surrender 

(?)  Isaiah  lix.  21. 


86  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

their  minds  captives  to  superstitions;  but  because  we  perceive 
in  it  the  undoubted  energies  of  the  Divine  powerjby  which 
we  are  attracted  and  inflamed  to  an  understanding  and  volun- 
tary obedience,  but  with  a  vigour  and  efficacy  superior  to 
the  power  of  any  human  will  or  knowledge.  With  the  greatest 
justice,  therefore,  God  exclaims  by  Isaiah,  (r)  that  the  pro- 
phets and  all  the  people  were  his  witnesses;  because,  being 
taught  by  prophecies,  they  were  certain  that  God  had  spoken 
without  the  least  fallacy  or  ambiguity.  It  is  such  a  persuasion, 
therefore,  as  requires  no  reasons:  such  a  knowledge  as  is  sup- 
ported by  the  highest  reason,  in  which  indeed  the  mind  rests 
with  greater  security  and  constancy  than  in  any  reasons;  it  is, 
finally,  such  a  sentiment  as  cannot  be  produced  but  by  a  reve- 
lation from  heaven.  I  speak  of  nothing  but  what  every  be- 
liever experiences  in  his  heart,  except  that  my  language  falls 
far  short  of  a  just  explication  of  the  subject.  I  pass  over 
many  things  at  present,  because  this  subject  will  present  itself 
for  discussion  again  in  another  place.  Only  let  it  be  known 
here,  that  that  alone  is  true  faith  which  the  Spirit  of  God  seals 
in  our  hearts.  And  with  this  one  reason  every  reader  of  mo- 
desty and  docility  will  be  satisfied:  Isaiah  predicts  that  "  all 
the  children"  of  the  renovated  Church  "  shall  be  taught  of 
God."  (.v)  Herein  God  deigns  to  confer  a  singular  privilege 
on  his  elect,  whom  he  distinguishes  from  the  rest  of  mankind. 
For  what  is  the  beginning  of  true  learning  but  a  prompt  ala- 
crity to  hear  the  voice  of  God?  By  the  mouth  of  Moses 
he  demands  our  attention,  in  these  terms:  "  Say  not  in  thine 
heart,  Who  shall  ascend  into  heaven?  or,  Who  shall  descend 
into  the  deep?  the  word  is  even  in  thy  mouth."  (V)  If  God 
hath  determined  that  this  treasury  of  wisdom  shall  be  reserved 
for  his  children,  it  is  neither  surprising  nor  absurd,  that  we 
see  so  much  ignorance  and  stupidity  among  the  vulgar  herd 
of  mankind.  By  this  appellation  I  designate  even  those  of  the 
greatest  talents  and  highest  rank,  till  they  are  incorporated 
into  the  Church.  Moreover,  Isaiah,  observing  that  the  pro- 
phetical doctrine  would  be  incredible,  not  only  to  aliens  but 
also  to  the  Jews,  who  wished  to  be  esteemed  members  of  the 

(r)  Is.'iiah  xliii.  10.         (s)  Isaiah  liv.  13.         (?)  Dent.  xxx.  Rom.  x. 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  87 

family,  adds,  at  the  same  time,  the  reason,  Because  the  arm  of 
the  Lord  will  not  be  revealed  to  all.  (u)  Whenever,  therefore, 
we-  are  disturbed  at  the  paucity  of  believers,  let  us,  on  the 
other  hand,  remember  that  none,  but  those  to  whom  it  is 
have  any  apprehension  of  the  mysteries  of  God. 


cvwvwvw 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Rational  Proofs  to  establish  the  Belief  of  the  Scripture. 

V\  ITHOUT  this  certainty,  better  and  stronger  than  any 
human  judgment,  in  vain  will  the  authority  of  the  Scripture  be 
either  defended  by  arguments,  or  established  by  the  consent  of 
the  Church,  or  confirmed  by  any  other  supports;  since,  unless 
this  foundation  be  laid,  it  remains  in  perpetual  suspense.  Whilst, 
on  the  contrary,  when,  regarding  it  in  a  different  point  of  view 
from  common  things,  we  have  once  religiously  received  it  in  a 
manner  worthy  of  its  excellence,  we  shall  then  derive  great 
assistance  from  things  which  before  were  not  sufficient  to  esta- 
blish the  certainty  of  it  in  our  minds.  For  it  is  admirable  to 
observe  how  much  it  conduces  to  our  confirmation,  attentively 
to  study  the  order  and  disposition  of  the  Divine  Wisdom  dis- 
pensed in  it,  the  heavenly  nature  of  its  doctrine,  which  never 
savours  of  any  thing  terrestrial,  die  beautiful  agreement  of 
all  the  parts  with  each  other,  and  other  similar  characters 
adapted  to  conciliate  respect  to  any  writings.  But  our  hearts 
are  more  strongly  confirmed,  when  we  reflect  that  we  are  con- 
strained* to  admire  it  more  by  the  dignity  of  the  subjects  than 
by  the  beauties  of  the  language.  For  even  this  did  not  happen 
without  the  particular  providence  of  God,  that  the  sublime 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  should  be  communicated, 
for  the  most  part,  in  a  humble  and  contemptible  style:  lest 
if  they  had  been  illustrated  with  more  of  the  splendour  of 
eloquence,  the  impious  might  cavil  that  their  triumph  is  only 
the  triumph  of  eloquence.  Now,  since  that  uncultivated  and 

(v)  Isaiah  liii.  1. 


88  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

almost  rude  simplicity  procures  itself  more  reverence  than  all 
the  graces  of  rhetoric,  what  opinion  can  we  form,  but  that  the 
force  of  truth  in  the  sacred  Scripture  is  too  powerful  to  need  the 
assistance  of  verbal  art?  Justly,  therefore,  does  the  Apostle 
argue  that  the  faith  of  the  Corinthians  was  founded,  "not 
in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the  power  of  God,"  because  his 
preaching  among  them  was,  "  not  with  enticing  words  of 
man's  wisdom,  but  in  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of 
power."  (#)  For  the  truth  is  vindicated  from  every  doubt, 
when,  unassisted  by  foreign  aid,  it  is  sufficient  for  its  own  sup- 
port. But  that  this  is  the  peculiar  property  of  the  Scripture, 
appears  from  the  insufficiency  of  any  human  compositions, 
however  artificially  polished,  to  make  an  equal  impression  on 
our  minds.  Read  Demosthenes  or  Cicero;  read  Plato,  Aristotle, 
or  any  others  of  that  class;  I  grant  that  you  will  be  attracted, 
delighted,  moved,  and  enraptured  by  them  in  a  surprising 
manner:  but  if,  after  reading  them,  you  turn  to  the  perusal 
of  the  sacred  volume,  whether  you  are  willing  or  unwilling, 
it  will  affect  you  so  powerfully,  it  will  so  penetrate  your  heart, 
and  impress  itself  so  strongly  on  your  mind,  that,  compared 
with  its  energetic  influence,  the  beauties  of  rhetoricians  and 
philosophers  will  almost  entirely  disappear;  so  that  it  is  easy 
to  perceive  something  divine  in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  which 
far  surpass  the  highest  attainments  and  ornaments  of  human 
industry. 

II.  I  grant,  indeed,  that  the  diction  of  some  of  the  prophets 
is  neat  and  elegant,  and  even  splendid;  so  that  they  are  not 
inferior  in  eloquence  to  the  heathen  writers.  And  by  such 
examples  the  Holy  Spirit  hath  been  pleased  to  shew,  that  he 
was  not  deficient  in  eloquence,  though  elsewhere  he  hath  used 
a  rude  and  homely  style.  But  whether  we  read  David,  Isaiah, 
and  others  that  resemble  them,  who  have  a  sweet  and  pleasant 
flow  of  words,  or  Amos  the  herdsman,  Jeremiah  and  Zecha- 
riah,  whose  rougher  language  savours  of  rusticity;  that  ma- 
jesty of  the  Spirit,  which  I  have  mentioned,  is  every  where 
conspicuous.  I  am  not  ignorant  that  Satan  in  many  things 
imitates  God,  in  order  that,  by  the  fallacious  resemblance,  he 

(.r)  I  Cor.  ii.  4. 


CHAP,  vni.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  89 

jnay  more  easily  insinuate  himself  into  the  minds  of  the  simple; 
and  has  therefore  craftily  disseminated,  in  unpolished  and  even 
barbarous  language,  the  most  impious  errors,  by  which  multi- 
tudes have  been  miserably  deceived,  and  has  often  used  obso- 
lete forms  of  speech  as  a  mask  to  conceal  his  impostures.  But 
the  vanity  and  fraud  of  such  affectation  are  visible  to  all  men 
of  moderate  understanding.  With  respect  to  the  sacred  Scrip- 
ture, though  presumptuous  men  try  to  cavil  at  various  passages, 
yet  it  is  evidently  replete  with  sentences  which  are  beyond  the 
powers  of  human  conception.  Let  all  the  prophets  be  exa- 
mined: not  one  will  be  found,  who  has  not  far  surpassed  the 
ability  of  men;  so  that  those  to  whom  their  doctrine  is  insipid 
must  be  accounted  utterly  destitute  of  all  true  taste. 

III.  This  argument    has   been  copiously  treated   by  other 
writers:  wherefore  it  may  suffice  at    present  merely  to   hint 
at  a  few  things  which  chiefly  relate  to  the  subject  in  a  general 
view.  Beside  what  I  have  already  treated  on,  the  anticjuity  of 
the  Scripture  is  of  no  small  weight.   For,  notwithstanding  the 
fabulous  accounts  of  the  Greek  writers  concerning  the  Egyptian 
theology,  yet  there  remains  no  monument  of  any  religion,  but 
what  is  much  lower  than  the  age  of  Moses.  Nor  does  Moses 
invent  a  new  deity;  he  only  makes  a  declaration  of  what  the 
Israelites  had,  through  a  long  series  of  years,  received  by  tradi- 
tion from  their  forefathers  concerning  the  eternal  God.  For 
what  does  he  aim  at,  but  to  recal  them  to  the  covenant  made 
with  Abraham?  If  he  had  advanced  a  thing  till  then  unheard  of, 
it  would  not  have  been  received:  but  their  liberation  from  the 
servitude  in  which  they  were  detained,  must  have  been  a  thing 
well  known  to  them  all;  so  that  the  mention  of  it  immediately 
excited  universal  attention.  It  is  probable  also  that  they  had 
been  informed  of  the  number  of  four   hundred  years.  Now 
we  must  consider,  if  Moses  (who  himself  preceded  all  other 
writers  by  such  a  long  distance  of  time)  derives  the  tradition  of 
his  doctrine  from  so  remote  a  beginning,  how  much  the  sacred 
Scripture  exceeds  in  antiquity  all  other  books. 

IV.  Unless  any  would  choose  to  credit  the  Egyptians,  who      / 
extend  their  antiquity  to  six  thousand  years  before  the  crca-    • 
tion  of  the  world.  But  since  their  garrulity  has  been  ridiculed 
even  by  all  the  profane  writers,  I  need  not  trouble  myself  with 

VOL.  I.  M 


90  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

refuting  it.  Josephus,  in  his  book  against  Appion,  cites  from 
the  most  ancient  writers  testimonies  worthy  of  being  remem- 
bered; whence  we  may  gather,  that  the  doctrine  contained  in 
the  law  has,  according  to  the  consent  of  all  nations,  been  re- 
nowned from  the  remotest  ages,  although  it  was  neither  read 
nor  truly  understood.  Now,  that  the  malicious  might  have  no 
room  for  suspicion,  nor  even  the  wicked  any  pretence  for 
cavilling,  God  hath  provided  the  most  excellent  remedies  for 
both  these  dangers.  When  Moses  relates  what  Jacob  had, 
almost  three  hundred  yeafs  before,  by  the  spirit  of  inspiration, 
pronounced  concerning  his  posterity,  how  docs  he  disgrace  his 
own  tribe?  He  even  brands  it,  in  the  person  of  Levi,  with 
perpetual  infamy.  "  Simeon  (says  he)  and  Levi,  instruments 
of  cruelty  are  in  their  habitations.  O  my  soul,  come  not  thou 
into  their  secret:  unto  their  assembly,  mine  honour,  be  not 
thou  united."  (z/)  He  certainly  might  have  been  silent  on  that 
disgraceful  circumstance,  not  only  to  spare  his  father,  but  also 
to  avoid  aspersing  himself,  as  well  as  all  his  family,  with  part 
of  the  same  ignominy.  How  can  any  suspicion  be  entertained 
of  him,  who,  voluntarily  publishing,  from  the  inspiration  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  that  the  first  of  the  family  from  which  he  was 
descended  was  guilty  of  detestable  conduct,  neither  consults 
his  own  personal  honours,  nor  refuses  to  incur  the  resentment 
of  his  relations,  to  whom  this  must  undoubtedly  have  given 
offence?  When  he  mentions  also  the  impious  murmurings  of 
Aaron  his  brother,  and  Miriam  his  sister,  (z)  shall  we  say  that 
he  spake  according  to  the  dictates  of  the  flesh,  or  obeyed  the 
command  of  the  Holy  Spirit?  Besides,  as  he  enjoyed  the 
supreme  authority,  why  did  he  not  leave  to  his  own  sons,  at 
least,  the  office  of  the  high-priesthood,  but  place  them  in  the 
lowest  station?  I  only  hint  at  a  few  things  out  of  many.  But 
in  the  law  itself  many  arguments  will  every  where  occur, 
which  challenge  a  full  belief,  that,  without  controversy,  the 
legation  of  Moi.es  was  truly  divine. 

V.  Moreover,  the  miracles  which  he  relates,  and  which  are 
so  numerous  and  remarkable,  are  so  many  confirmations  of  the 
law  which  he  delivered,  and  of  the  doctrine  which  he  pujj- 

()  Gen.  xlix.  5.  £n1  Num.  \\\.  1 


CHAP,  vin.j      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  31 

lished.  For  that  he  was  carried  uf»  iftto  the  mountain  in  a 
cloud;  that  he  continued  there  forty  days,  deprived  of  all 
human  intercourse;  that,  in  the  act  of  proclaiming  the  law^ 
his  face  shown  as  with  the  rays  of  the  sun;  that  lightnings 
flashed  all  around;  that  thunders  and  various  noises  were 
heard  through  the  whole  hemisphere;  that  a  trumpet  soundedj 
but  a  trumpet  not  blown  by  human  breath;  that  the  entrance 
of  the  tabernacle  was  concealed  from  the  view  of  the  people  by 
an  intervening  cloud;  that  his  authority  was  so  miraculously 
vindicated  by  the  horrible  destruction  of  Korah,  Dathan,  and 
Abiram,  and  all  their  impious  faction;  that  a  rock  smitten 
with  a  rod  immediately  emitted  a  river;  that  manna  rained 
from  heaven  at  his  request;  (a)  are  not  all  these  so  many  testi- 
monies from  heaven  of  his  being  a  true  prophet?  If  any 
one  object  that  I  assume,  as  granted,  things  which  are  the 
subjects  of  controversy,  this  cavil  is  easily  answered*  For  as 
Moses  published  all  these  things  in  an  assembly  of  the  people^ 
what  room  was  there  for  fiction  among  those  who  had  been 
eye-witnesses  of  the  events?  Is  it  probable  that  he  would  make 
his  appearance  in  public,  and,  accusing  the  people  of  infidelity, 
contumacy,  ingratitude,  and  other  crimes,  boast  that  his  doc- 
trine had  been  confirmed  in  their  sight  by  miracles  which  they 
had  never  seen? 

VI.  For  this  also  is  worthy  of  being  remarked,  that  all 
his  accounts  of  miracles  are  connected  with  such  unpleasant 
circumstances,  as  were  calculated  to  stimulate  all  the  people, 
if  there  had  been  but  the  smallest  occasion,  to  a  public  and 
positive  contradiction:  whence  it  appears,  that  they  were 
induced  to  coincide  with  him  only  by  the  ample  conviction 
of  their  own  experience.  But  since  the  matter  was  too  evi- 
dent for  profane  writers  to  take  the  liberty  of  denying  the  per- 
formance of  miracles  by  Moses,  the  father  of  lies  has  suggested 
the  calumny  of  ascribing  them  to  magical  arts.  But  by  what 
kind  of  conjecture  can  they  pretend  to  charge  him  with  having 
been  a  magician,  who  had  so  great  an  abhorrence  of  that 
superstition,  as  to  command,  that  he  who  merely  consulted 
magicians  and  soothsayers  should  be  stoned?  (£)  Certainly  no 

(a)  Exdd.  xxiv.  18.  xxxiv.  29.  xix.  16.  xl.  34.  Num.  xvi.  24,  &$.  xx.  11.  xi.  9. 
6    Lev.  xx.  6. 


92  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  I. 

impostor  practises  such  juggling  tricks,  who  does  not  make  it 
his  study,  for  the  sake  of  acquiring  fame,  to  astonish  the  minds 
of  the  vulgar.  But  what  is  the  practice  of  Moses?  Openly 
avowing  that  himself  and  his  brother  Aaron  are  nothing,  (c)  but 
that  they  only  execute  the  commands  of  God,  he  sufficiently 
clears  his  character  from  every  unfavourable  aspersion.  Now 
if  the  events  themselves  be  considered,  what  incantation  could 
cause  manna  to  rain  daily  from  heaven  sufficient  to  support 
the  people;  and,  if  any  one  laid  up  more  than  the  proper 
quantity,  cause  it  to  putrefy,  as  a  punishment  from  God  for  his 
unbelief?  Add  also  the  many  serious  examinations  which 
God  permitted  his  servant  to  undergo,  so  that  the  clamour  of 
the  wicked  can  now  be  of  no  avail.  For  as  often  as  this  holy 
servant  of  God  was  in  danger  of  being  destroyed,  at  one  time 
by  proud  and  petulant  insurrections  of  all  the  people,  at  another 
by  the  secret  conspiracies  of  a  few,  how  was  it  possible  for 
him  to  elude  their  inveterate  rage  by  any  arts  of  deception? 
And  the  event  evidently  proves,  that  by  these  circumstances 
his  doctrine  was  confirmed  to  all  succeeding  ages. 

VII.   Moreover,  who  can  deny  that   his  assigning,  in  the 
person  of  the  patriarch  Jacob,  the  supreme  power  to  the  tribe 
of  Judah  proceeded  from  a  spirit  of  prophecy;  (ef)  especially  if 
we  consider  the  eventual  accomplishment  of  this  prediction? 
Suppose  Moses  to  have  been  the  first  author  of  it;  yet  after 
he  committed  it  to  writing,  there  elapsed  four  hundred  years  in 
which  we    have    no  mention  of  the  sceptre    in    the   tribe  of 
Judah.  After  the  inauguration  of  Saul,  the  regal  power  seemed 
to  be  fixed  in  the  tribe  of  Benjamin.  When  Samuel  anointed 
David,  what  reason  appeared  for  transferring  it?  Who  would 
have  expected  a  king  to  arise  out  of  the  plebeian  family  of  a 
herdsman?    And    of    seven   brothers,  who  would    have  con- 
jectured that  such  an  honour  was  destined  for  the  youngest? 
And  by  what  means  did  he  attain  a  hope  of  the  kingdom? 
Who  can  assert  that  this  unction  was  directed  by  human  art, 
or  industry,  or    prudence,  and  was  not    rather  a  completion 
of  the  prediction  of  heaven?  And  in  like  manner  do  not  his 
predictions,  although  obscure,  concerning  the  admission  of  the 

(c)  Exod.  xvi.  7  (rf)  Gen.  xlix.  10. 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  93 

Gentiles  into  the  covenant  of  God,  which  were  accomplished 
almost  two  thousand  years  after,  clearly  prove  him  to  have 
spoken  under  a  divine  inspiration?  I  omit  other  predictions, 
which  so  strongly  savour  of  a  divine  inspiration,  that  all  who 
have  the  use  of  their  reason  must  perceive  that  it  is  God  who 
speaks.  In  short,  one  song  of  his  is  a  clear  mirror  in  which 
God  evidently  appears,  (i) 

VIII.   But  in  the  other  prophets  this  is  yet  far  more  con- 
spicuous. I  shall  only  select  a  few  examples;  for  to  collect  all 
would    be  too    laborious.  When,  in   the   time  of  Isaiah,  the 
kingdom  of  Judah  was  in  peace,  and  even  when  they  thought 
themselves  safe  in  the  alliance  of  the  Chaldeans,  Isaiah  pub- 
licly spake  of  the  destruction  of  the  city  and  the  banishment 
of  the  people.  (/)  Now,  even  if  to  predict  long  before  things 
which  then  seemed  false,  but  have  since  appeared  to  be  true, 
were  not   a  sufficiently  clear   proof  of  a  divine   inspiration; 
to  whom  but  God  shall  we  ascribe  the  prophecies  which  he 
uttered  concerning  their  deliverance?  He  mentions  the  name 
of  Cyrus,  by  whom  the  Chaldeans  were  to  be  subdued,  and 
the    people    restored   to    liberty.  (#•)    More    than   a   century 
elapsed  after  this  prophecy  before  the  birth  of  Cyrus;  for  he 
was  not  born  till  about   the   hundredth  year  after    the    pro- 
phet's death.    No  man  could    then  divine,  that   there  would 
be  one  Cyrus,  who  would  engage  in  a  war  with  the  Babylo- 
nians, who  would  subjugate  such  a  powerful  monarchy,  and 
release  the  people  of  Israel  from  exile.    Does  not  this  bare 
narration,  without  any  ornaments  of  diction,  plainly  demon- 
strate that  Isaiah  delivered    the  undoubted  oracles  of   God, 
and  not  the  conjectures  of  men?  Again,  when  Jeremiah,  just  be- 
fore the  people  were  carried  away,  limited  the  duration  of  their 
captivity  to  seventy  years,  and  predicted  their  liberation  and 
return,  must  not  his  tongue  have  been  under  the  direction  of 
the  Spirit  of  God?  (A)  What  impudence  must  it  be  to  deny 
that  the  authority  of  the  prophets  has  been  confirmed  by  such 
proofs,  or  that  what  they  themselves  assert,  in  order  to  vin- 
dicate the  credit  due  to  their  declarations,  has  been  actually 
fulfilled.     "Behold,    the    former   things    are    come    to    pass, 

(<?)  Deut.  xxxii.  (/)  Isaiah  xxxix.  6. 

( <0  Isai:ih  xlv.  1.  (A)  Jer.  xxv.  11,  12 


$4  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  f, 

and  hew  things  do  I  declare:  before  they  spring  forth  I  tell 
you  of  them."  (/)  I  shall  not  speak  of  Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel, 
who,  living  in  distant  countries,  but  prophesying  at  the  same 
time,  so  exactly  accord  in  their  declarations,  as  though  they 
had  mutually  dictated  the  words  to  each  other.  What  shall 
We  say  of  Daniel?  Has  not  he  prophesied  of  the  events  of 
nearly  six  hundred  years  in  such  a  connected  series,  as  if  he 
were  composing  a  history  of  transactions  already  past  and 
universally  known?  If  pious  men  properly  consider  these 
things,  they  will  be  sufficiently  prepared  to  curb  the  petulance 
of  the  wicked;  for  the  demonstration  is  too  clear  to  be  liable 
to  any  cavils* 

IX.  I  know  what  is  objected  by  some  clamorous  men,  who 
would  ostentatiously  display  the  force  of  their  understanding 
in  opposing  divine  truth.  For  they  inquire,  Who  has  assured 
us  that  Moses  and  the  prophets  actually  wrote  those  books 
which  bear  their  names.  They  even  dare  to  question  whether 
such  a  man  as  Moses  ever  existed.  But  if  any  man  should  call 
in  question  the  existence  of  Plato,  or  Aristotle,  or  Cicero,  who 
would  deny  that  such  madness  ought  to  receive  corporal  punish- 
ment? The  law  of  Moses  has  been  wonderfully  preserved", 
rather  by  the  providence  of  heaven  than  bv  the  endeavours  of 
men.  And  though,  through  the  negligence  of  the  priests,  it 
lay  for  a  short  time  concealed,  since  it  was  found  by  the  pious 
king  Josiah,  it  has  continued  in  the  hands  of  men  through 
every  succeeding  age.  (£)  Nor  indeed  did  Josiah  produce  it 
as  a  thing  unknown  or  new,  but  as  what  had  always  been 
public;  and  the  memory  of  which  was  then  famous.  The  pro- 
tograph  had  been  appointed  to  be  kept  in  the  temple,  and  a 
transcript  of  it  to  be  deposited  in  the  royal  archives;(/)  only 
the  priests  had  discontinued  their  ancient  custom  of  publishing 
the  law,  and  the  people  themselves  had  neglected  their  wonted 
reading  of  it:  yet  there  scarcely  passed  an  age  in  which  its 
sanction  was  not  confirmed  and  renewed.  Were  they,  wh» 
had  the  writings  of  David,  ignorant  of  Moses?  l?ut,  to  speak 
of  all  at  once,  it  is  certain,  that  their  writings  descended  to 
posterity  only  from  hand  to  hand  (so  to  speak)  through  a  long 

0')  Isaiah  xlii.  9,  (1. N  'J  Ki:  .  (l'\  Deul.  xvii.  18. 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  95 

series  of  years  transmitted  from  the  fathers,  who  partly  had 
heard  them  speak,  and  partly  learned  from  others  who  heard 
them,  while  it  was  fresh  in  their  memory,  that  they  had  thus 
spoken, 

X.  With  regard  to  what  they  object  from  the  history  of  the 
Maccabees  to  diminish  the  credit  of  the  Scripture,  nothing 
could  be  conceived  more  adapted  to  establish  it.  But  first  let 
us  divest  it  of  their  artificial  colouring,  and  then  retort  upon 
them  the  weapon  which  they  direct  against  us.  When  Antio- 
chus,  say  they,  commanded  all  the  books  to  be  burned,  whence 
proceeded  the  copies  which  we  now  have?  I  on  the  contrary 
inquire,  where  they  could  so  speedily  be  fabricated?  For  it  is 
evident,  that  as  soon  as  the  persecution  subsided,  they  imme- 
diately appeared,  and  were,  without  controversy,  acknowledged 
as  the  same  by  all  pious  men;  who,  having  been  educated  in 
their  doctrine,  had  been  familiarly  acquainted  with  them. 
Nay,  even  when  all  the  impious,  as  if  by  a  general  conspiracy, 
so  wantonly  insulted  the  Jews,  no  man  ever  dared  to  charge 
them  with  forging  their  books.  For,  whatever  be  their  opinion 
of  the  Jewish  religion,  yet  they  confess  that  Moses  was  the 
author  of  it.  What,  then,  do  these  clamorous  objectors,  but 
betray  their  own  consummate  impudence,  when  they  slander, 
as  supposititious,  books  whose  sacred  antiquity  is  confirmed  by 
the  consent  of  all  histories?  But,  to  waste  no  more  useless 
labour  in  refuting  such  stale  calumnies,  let  us  rather  consider 
how  carefully  the  Lord  preserved  his  own  word,  when,  beyond 
all  hope,  he  rescued  it  from  the  fury  of  the  most  cruel  of 
tyrants,  as  from  a  devouring  fire; — that  he  endued  the  pious 
priests  and  others  with  so  much  constancy,  that  they  hesitated 
not  to  redeem  this  treasure,  if  necessary,  with  their  lives,  to 
transmit  it  to  posterity;  and  that  he  frustrated  the  mast  diligent 
inquisition  of  so  many  governors  and  soldiers.  Who  is  there 
but  must  acknowledge  it  to  have  been  an  eminent  and  wonder- 
ful work  of  God,  that  those  sacred  monuments,  which  the 
impious  had  flattered  themselves  were  utterly  destroyed,  were 
soon  public  again,  as  it  were,  fully  restored  to  mankind,  and, 
indeed,  with  far  greater  honour?  For  soon  after  followed  the 
Greek  Translation,  which  published  them  throughout  the 
world.  Nor  was  God's  preserving  the  tables  of  his  covenant 


96  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

from  the  sanguinary  edicts  of  Antiochus,  the  only  instance  of 
his  wonderful  operation,  but  that,  amidst  such  various  miseries, 
with  which  the  Jewish  nation  was  diminished  and  laid  waste, 
and  at  last  nearly  exterminated,  these  records  still  remained 
entire.  The  Hebrew  language  lay  not  only  despised,  but 
almost  unknown:  and  surely,  had  not  God  consulted  the  in- 
terest of  religion,  it  had  been  totally  lost.  For  how  much  the 
Jews,  after  their  return  from  captivity,  departed  from  the  ge- 
nuine use  of  their  native  language,  appears  from  the  prophets  of 
that  age:  which  it  is  therefore  useful  to  observe,  because  this 
comparison  more  clearly  evinces  the  antiquity  of  the  law  and 
the  prophets.  And  by  whom  hath  God  preserved  to  us  the 
doctrine  of  salvation  contained  in  the  law  and  the  prophets, 
that  Christ  might  be  manifested  in  due  time?  By  his  most 
inveterate  enemies,  the  Jews:  whom  Augustine  therefore  justly 
denominates  the  librarians  of  the  Christian  Church,  because 
they  have  furnished  us  with  a  book  of  which  themselves  make 
no  use. 

XI.  If  we  proceed  to  the  New  Testament,  by  what  solid 
foundations  is  its  truth  supported?  Three  Evangelists  recite 
their  history  in  a  low  and  mean  style.  Many  proud  men  are 
disgusted  with  that  simplicity:  because  they  attend  not  to  the 
principal  points  of  doctrine;  whence  it  were  easy  to  infer,  that 
they  treat  of  heavenly  mysteries  which  are  above  human  capa- 
city. They  who  have  a  spark  of  ingenuous  modesty  will  cer- 
tainly be  ashamed,  if  they  peruse  the  first  chapter  of  Luke. 
Now  the  discourses  of  Christ,  a  concise  summary  of  which  is 
comprised  in  these  three  Evangelists,  easily  exempt  their 
writings  from  contempt.  But  John,  thundering  from  his 
sublimity,  more  powerfully  than  any  thunderbolt,  levels  to  the 
dust  the  obstinacy  of  those,  whom  he  does  not  compel  to  the 
obedience  of  faith.  Let  all  those  censorious  critics,  whose 
supreme  pleasure  consists  in  banishing  all  reverence  for  the 
Scripture  out  of  their  own  hearts  and  the  hearts  of  others, 
come  forth  to  public  view.  Let  them  read  the  Gospel  of 
John:  whether  they  wish  it  or  not,  they  will  there  find  numer- 
ous passages,  which,  at  least,  arouse  their  indolence:  and  which 
will  even  imprint  a  horrible  brand  on  their  consciences  to 
restrain  their  ridicule.  Similar  is  the  method  of  Paul  and  of 


C»AP.  vin.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  9? 

Peter,  in  whose  writings,  though  the  greater  part  be  obscure, 
yet  their  heavenly  majesty  attracts  universal  attention.  But 
this  one  circumstance  raises  their  doctrines  sufficiently  above 
the  world,  that  Matthew,  who  had  before  been  confined  to  the 
profit  of  his  table,  and  Peter  and  John,  who  had  been  em- 
ployed in  fishing-boats,  all  plain  unlettered  men,  had  learned 
nothing  in  any  human  school  which  they  could  communicate 
to  others.  And  Paul,  from  not  only  a  professed,  but  a  cruel 
and  sanguinary  enemy,  being  converted  to  a  new  man,  proves, 
by  his  sudden  and  unhoped-for  change,  that  he  was  constrained, 
by  a  command  from  heaven,  to  vindicate  that  doctrine  which 
he  had  before  opposed.  Let  these  men  deny  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  descended  on  the  Apostles;  or,  at  least,  let  them  dispute 
the  credibility  of  the  history:  yet  the  fact  itself  loudly  pro- 
claims, that  they  were  taught  by  the  Spirit,  who,  though  before 
despised  as  some  of  the  meanest  of  the  people,  suddenly  began 
to  discourse  in  such  a  magnificent  manner  on  the  mysteries  oi 
heaven. 

XII.  Besides,  there  are  also  other  very  substantial  reasons 
why  the  consent  of  the  Church  should  have  its  weight.  For 
it  is  not  an  unimportant  consideration,  that  from  the  publica- 
tion of  the  Scripture,  so  many  generations  of  men  should  have 
agreed  in  voluntarily  obeying  it;  and  that  however  Satan,  to- 
gether with  the  whole  world,  has  endeavoured  by  strange 
methods  to  suppress  or  destroy  it,  or  utterly  to  erase  and  ob- 
literate it  from  the  memory  of  man;  yet  it  has  always,  like  a 
palm-tree,  risen  superior  to  all  opposition,  and  remained  iu- 
vincible.  Indeed  there  has  scarcely  ever  been  a  sophist  or 
orator  of  more  than  common  abilities,  who  has  not  tried  his 
strength  in  opposing  it:  yet  they  have  all  availed  nothing.  All 
the  powers  of  the  earth  have  armed  themselves  for  its  destruc- 
tion; but  their  attempts  have  all  evaporated  into  smoke.  Hov, 
could  it  have  so  firmly  resisted  attacks  on  every  quarter,  if  it 
had  been  supported  only  by  human  power?  Indeed,  an  addi- 
tional proof  of  its  Divine  origin  arises  from  this  very  circum- 
stance, that,  notwithstanding  all  the  strenuous  resistance  oi 
men,  it  has,  by  its  own  power,  risen  superior  to  every  danger. 
Moreover,  not  one  city,  or  one  nation  only,  has  conspired  to 
receive  and  embrace  it;  but,  as  far  as  the  world  extends,  it  has 

VOL.  I.  N 


98  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK 

obtained  its  authority  by  the  holy  consent  of  various  nations, 
who  agreed  in  nothing  besides.  And  as  such  an  agreement  oi 
minds,  so  widely  distant  in  place,  and  so  completely  dissimilar 
in  manners  and  opinions,  ought  to  have  great  influence  with 
us,  since  it  is  plain  that  it  was  effected  only  by  the  power  of 
heaven;  so  it  acquires  no  small  weight  from  a  consideration 
of  the  piety  of  those  who  unite  in  this  agreement;  not  indeed 
of  all,  but  of  those,  who,  it  hath  pleased  the  Lord,  should  shine 
as  luminaries  in  his  Church. 

XIII.  Now,  with  what  unlimited  confidence  should  we  sub» 
mitto  that  doctrine,  which  we  see  confirmed  and  witnessed  by 
the  blood  of  so  many  saints?  Having  once  received  it,  they 
hesitated  not,  with  intrepid  boldness,  and  even  with  great 
alacrity,  to  die  in  its  defence:  transmitted  to  us  with  such  a 
pledge,  how  should  not  we  receive  it  with  a  firm  and  un- 
shaken conviction?  It  is  therefore  no  small  confirmation  of 
the  Scripture,  that  it  has  been  sealed  with  the  blood  of  so  many 
martyrs:  especially  when  we  consider  that  they  died  to  bear 
testimony  to  their  faith,  not  through  intemperate  fanaticism, 
as  is  sometimes  the  case  with  men  of  erroneous  minds:  but 
through  a  firm  and  constant,  yet  sober  zeal  for  God.  There 
are  other  reasons,  and  those  neither  few  nor  weak,  by  which 
the  native  dignity  and  authority  of  the  Scripture  are  not  only 
maintained  in  the  minds  of  the  pious,  but  also  completely  vin- 
dicated against  the  subtleties  of  calumniators:  but  such  as 
alone  are  not  sufficient  to  produce  firm  faith  in  it,  till  the  hea- 
venly Father,  discovering  his  own  power  therein,  places  its 
authority  beyond  all  controversy.  Wherefore,  the  Scripture 
will  then  only  be  effectual  to  produce  the  saving  knowledge  of 
God,  when  the  certainty  of  it  shall  be  founded  on  the  internal 
persuasion  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Thus  those  human  testimonies, 
which  contribute  to  its  confirmation,  will  not  be  useless,  if  they 
follow  that  first  and  principal  proof,  as  secondary  aids  to  our 
imbecility.  But  those  persons  betray  great  lolly,  who  wish  it 
to  be  demonstrated  to  infidels  that  the  Scripture  is  the  word  ol 
God:  which  cannot  be  known  without  faith.  Augustine  there- 
fore justly  observes,  (ni)  that  pietyjuid  peace  of  mind  ought  to 

(w)  Lib.  de  Util.  Credend. 


CHAP,  ix.j         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  93 

precede,  in  order  that  a  man  may  understand    somewhat  of 
such  great  subjects. 


vwvwwwwwv 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Fanaticism^  -which  discards  the  Scripture^  under  the 
tence  of  resorting  to  immediate  Revelations^  subversive  of 
every  Principle  of  Piety. 

1  ERSONS  who,  abandoning  the  Scripture,  imagine  to 
themselves  some  other  way  of  approaching  to  God,  must  bt 
considered  as  not  so  much  misled  by  error  as  actuated  by 
frenzy.  For  there  have  lately  arisen  some  unsteady  men,  who, 
haughtily  pretending  to  be  taught  by  the  Spirit,  reject  all 
reading  themselves,  and  deride  the  simplicity  of  those,  who  still 
attend  to  (what  they  style)  the  dead  and  killing  letter.  But  I 
would  ask  them,  what  spirit  that  is,  by  whose  inspiration  they 
are  elevated  to  such  a  sublimity,  as  to  dare  to  despise  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Scripture,  as  puerile  and  mean.  For,  if  they  an- 
swer that  it  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  how  ridiculous  is  such  an 
assurance:  for,  that  the  apostles  of  Christ,  and  other  believers 
in  the  primitive  Church,  were  illuminated  by  no  other  Spirit,  I 
think,  they  will  concede.  But  not  one  of  them  learned,  from 
his  teaching,  to  contemn  the  Divine  word;  they  were  rather 
filled  with  higher  reverence  for  it:  as  their  writings  abundantly 
testify.  This  had  been  predicted  by  the  mouth  of  Isaiah.  For 
where  he  says,  "  My  Spirit  that  is  upon  thee,  and  my  words 
which  I  have  put  in  thy  mouth,  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy 
mouth,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed,  for  ever."  (n)  He  does 
not  confine  people  under  the  old  dispensation  to  the  external 
letter,  as  though  they  were  children  learning  to  read;  but  de- 
clares, that  it  will  be  the  true  and  complete  felicity  of  .the.  new 
Church,  under  the  reign  of  Christ,  to  be  governed  by  the  word 
•)t"  God,  as  well  as  by  his.  Spirit.  Whence  we  infer,  that  these 
persons  are  guilty  of  detestable  sacrilege,  in  disjoining  these  two 
things  which  the  Prophet  has  connected  in  an  inviolable  union. 

(a)  Isaiah  lix.  21. 


160  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

Again;  Paul,  after  he  had  been  caught  up  into  the  third 
heaven,  did  not  cease  to  study  the  doctrine  of  the  law  and  the 
prophets:  as  he  also  exhorted  Timothy,  a  teacher  of  more 
than  common  excellence,  to  "  give  attendance  to  reading."  (o) 
And  worthy  of  remembrance  is  his  eulogium  on  the  Scripture, 
that  it  "  is  profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction, 
for  instruction  in  righteousness:  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
perfect."  (/>)  How  diabolical  then  is  that  madness,  which  pret  nds 
that  the  use  of  the  Scripture  is  only  transient  and  temporary, 
which  guides  the  sons  of  God  to  the  highest  point  of  perfection! 
I  would  also  ask  them  another  question:  Whether  they  have 
imbibed  a  different  spirit  from  that  which  the  Lord  promised 
to  his  disciples?  Great  as  their  infatuation  is,  I  do  not  think 
them  fanatical  enough  to  hazard  such  an  avowal.  But  what 
kind  of  spirit  did  he  promise?  One,  truly,  who  should  "  not 
speak  of  himself,"  (y)  but  suggest  and  instil  into  their  minds 
those  things  which  he  had  orally  delivered. iThe  office  of  the 
Spirit,  then,  which  is  promised  to  us,  is  not  to  feign  new  and 
unheard-of  revelations,  or  to  coin  a  new  system  of  doctrine, 
which  would  seduce  us  from  the  received  doctrine  of  the  Gos- 
pel; but  to  seal  to  our  minds  the  same  doctrine  which  the  Gos- 
pel delivers.! 

II.  Hence  we  readily  understand  that  it  is  incumbent  on 
us  diligently  to  read  and  attend  to  the  Scripture,  if  we  would 
receive  any  advantage  or  satisfaction  from  the  Spirit  of  God; 
(thus  also  Peter  (r)  commends  those  who  studiously  attende<i  i  . 
the  doctrine  of  the  prophets,  which  yet  might  be  supposed  to  have 
retired  after  the  light  of  the  Gospel  was  risen);  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, that  if  any  spirit,  neglecting  the  wisdom  of  the  word  of  G  ! , 
obtrude  on  us  another  doctrine,  he  ought  justly  to  be  suspecied 
of  vanity  and  falsehood.  For  as  Satan  transforms  himself  into 
an  angel  of  light,  what  authority  will  the  Spirit  have  with  us, 
unless  we  can  distinguish  him  by  the  most  certain  criterion?  We 
find  him  clearly  designated,  indeed,  in  the  word  of  the  Lord: 
hut  these  unhappy  m*n  are  fondly  bent  on  delusion,  even  to 
their  own  destruction,  seeking  a  spirit  rather  from  themselves 
than  from  him.  But  they  plead,  that  it  is  unworthy  of  the  Spirit 

(o)  1  Tim.  iv.  13.  (/>)  2  Tim.  iii.  16, 17, 

(7)  Joho  xv\.  13,  (r)  2  Peter  i.  19. 


CHAP,  ix.j         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  101 

of  God,  to  whom  all  things  ought  to  be  subject,  to  be  made  sub- 
ject to  the  Scripture.  As  though  it  were  ignominious  to  the  Holy 
Spirit,  to  be  every  where  equal  and  uniform,  in  all  things  in- 
variably consistent  with  himself.  If  he  were  to  be  conformed, 
to  the  rules  of  men,  or  of  angels,  or  of  any  other  beings,  I 
grant  he  might  then  be  considered  as  degraded,  or  even  re- 
duced to  a  state  of  servitude;  but  while  he  is  compared  with 
himself,  and  considered  in  himself,  who  will  assert  that  he  is 
thereby  injured?  This  is  bringing  him  to  the  test  of  examina- 
tion. I  confess  it  is.  But  it  is  the  way  which  he  has  chosen 
for  the  confirmation  of  his  majesty  among  us.  We  ought  to 
be  satisfied,  as  soon  as  he  communicates  himself  to  us.  Butv 
lest  the  spirit  of  Satan  should  insinuate  himself  under  his  name, 
he  chooses  to  be  recognised  by  us  from  his  image,  which  he  hath 
im pressed  in  the  Scriptu.r.gs^ He  is  the  Author  of  the  Scriptures-- 
he cannot  be  mutable  and  inconsistent  with  himself.  He  must 
therefore  perpetually  remain  such  as  he  has  there  discovered 
himself  to  be.  This  is  not  disgraceful  to  him;  unless  we  esteem 
it  honourable  for  him  to  alter  and  degenerate  from  himself. 

III.  But  their  cavilling  objection,  that  we  depend  on  "  the 
letter  that  killeth,"  shews,  that  they  have  not  escaped  the 
punishment  due  to  the  despisers  of  the  Scripture.  For  it  is 
sufficiently  evident,  that  Paul  is  there  contending  against  the 
false  apostles,  (*)  who,  recommending  the  law  to  the  exclusion 
of  Christ,  were  seducing  the  people  from  the  blessings  of  the 
New  Covenant,  in  which  the  Lord  engages  to  engrave  his  law 
in  the  minds  of  believers,  and  to  inscribe  it  on  their  hearts. 
The  letter  therefore  is  dead,  and  the  law  of  the  Lord  slays 
the  readers  of  it,  where  it  is  separated  from  the  grace  of  Christ, 
and  only  sounds  in  the  ears  without  affecting  the  heart.  But 
if  it  be  efficaciously  impressed  on  our  hearts  by  the  Spirit;  if  it 
exhibit  Christ;  it  is  the  word  of  life,  "  converting  the  soul, 
making  wise  the  simple,"  &c.  (?)  But  in  the  same  place  the 
Apostle  also  calls  his  preaching  "  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit'."  (i>)  doubtless  intending,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  so  adheres 
to  his  own  truth,  which  he  hath  expressed  in  the  Scriptures, 
that  he  only  displays  ami  exerts  his  powerwhere  the  word  fo 

(«)  2  Cor.  &.  6.  (f)  Psalm  six.  7.  («)  2  Cor.  iii.  8. 


102  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i, 

received  with  due  reverence  and  honour.  Nor  is  this  repug- 
nant to  what  I  before  asserted,  that  the  word  itself  has  not 
much  certainty  with  us,  unless  when  confirmed  by  the  testi- 
mony of  the  Spirit. ] For  the  Lord  hath  established  a  kind  of 
mutual  connection  between  the  certainty  of  his  word  and  of  his 
Spirit:  so  that  our  minds  are  filled  with  a  solid  reverence  for 
the  word,  when  by  the  light  of  the  Spirit  we  are  enabled  therein 
to  behold  the  Divine  countenance:  and,  on  the  other  hand, 
without  the  least  fear  of  mistake,  we  gladly  receive  the  Spirit, 
when  we  recognise  him  in  his  image,  that  is,  in  the  word.  I 
This  is  the  true  state  of  the  case.  God  did  not  publish  his 
word  to  mankind  for  the  sake  of  momentary  ostentation,  with 
a  design  to  destroy  or  annul  it  immediately  on  the  advent  ot 
the  Spirit;  but  he  afterwards  sent  the  same  Spirit,  by  whose 
agency  he  had  dispensed  his  word,  to  complete  his  work 
by  an  efficacious  confirmation  of  that  word.  In  this  manner 
Christ  opened  the  understanding  of  his  two  disciples;  (w) 
not  that,  rejecting  the  Scriptures,  they  might  be  wise  enough 
of  themselves;  but  that  they  might  understand  the  Scrip- 
tures. So  when  Paul  exhorts  the  Thesaalonians  to  "quench 
not  the  Spirit,"  (#)  he  does  not  lead  them  to  empty  specu- 
lations independent  of  the  word;  for  he  immediately  adds, 
"  despise  not  prophesyings:"  clearly  intimating,  that  the  light 
of  the  Spirit  is  extinguished,  when  prophecies  fall  into  con- 
tempt. What  answer  can  be  given  to  these  things,  by  those 
proud  fanatics,  who  think  themselves  possessed  of  the  only 
valuable  illumination,  when,  securely  neglecting  and  forsaking 
the  Divine  word,  they,  with  equal  confidence  and  temerity, 
greedily  embrace  every  reverie  which  their  distempered  imagi- 
nations may  have  conceived.  A  very  different  sobriety  becomes 
the  children  of  God;  who,  while  they  are  sensible  that,  ex- 
clusively of  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  utterly  destitute  of  the 
light  of  truth,  yet  are  not  ignorant  that  the  word  is  the  instru- 
ment, by  which  the  Lord  dispenses  to  believers  the  illumination 
of  his  Spirit.  For  they  know  no  other  Spirit,  than  that  who 
dwelt  in,  and  spake  by  the  apostles;  by  whose  oracles  they  are 
continually  called  to  the  hearing  of  the  word. 

(o)  Luke  xjiiv.  27,  &c.  (.v)  1  Thess.  v.  19. 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  10 


CHAPTER  X. 

All  idolatrous  Worship  discountenanced  in  the  Scripture,  by  its 
exclusive  Opposition  of  the  true  God  to  all  the  fictitious  Deities 
of  the  Heathens. 

JjUT  since  we  have  shewn  that  the  knowledge  of  God,  which 
is  otherwise  exhibited  without  obscurity  in  the  structure  of  the 
world,  and  in  all  the  creatures,  is  yet  more  familiarly  and  clearly 
unfolded  in  the  word:  it  will  be  useful  to  examine,  whether  the 
representation,  which  the  Lord  gives  us  of  himself  in  the  Scrip- 
ture, agrees  with  the  portraiture  which  he  had  before  been  pleased 
to  delineate  in  his  works.]  This  is  indeed  an  extensive  subject; 
if  we  intended  to  dwell  on  a  particular  discussion  of  it.  But 
I  shall  content  myself  with  suggesting  some  hints,  by  which  the 
minds  of  the  pious  may  learn  what  ought  to  be  their  principal 
objects  of  investigation  in  Scripture  concerning  God,  and  may 
be  directed  to  a  certain  end  in  that  inquiry.  I  do  not  yet  allude 
to  the  peculiar  covenant  which  distinguished  the  descendants 
of  Abraham  from  the  rest  of  the  nations.  For  in  receiving,  by 
gratuitous  adoption,  those  who  were  his  enemies  into  the  num- 
ber of  his  children,  God  even  then  manifested  himself  as  a  Re- 
deemer: but  we  are  still  treating  of  that  knowledge  which  re- 
lates to  the  creation  of  the  world,  without  ascending  to  Christ 
the  Mediator.  But  though  it  will  be  useful  soon  to  cite  some; 
passages  from  the  New  Testament  (since  that  also  demonstrates 
the  power  of  God  in  the  creation,  and  his  providence  in  the 
conservation  of  the  world);  yet,  I  wish  the  reader  to  be  apprised 
of  the  point  now  intended  to  be  discussed,  that  he  may  not  pass 
the  limits  which  the  subject  prescribes.  At  present,  then,  let  it 
suffice  to  understand  how  God,  the  former  of  heaven  and  earth, 
governs  the  world  which  he  hath  made.  Both  his  paternal  good- 
ness, and  the  beneficent  inclinations  of  his  will,  are  every  where 
celebrated:  and  examples  are  given  of  his  severity,  which  disco- 
ver him  to  be  the  righteous  punisherof  iniquities,  especially  where 
his  forbearance  produces  no  salutary  effcclj^QiOhe  obstinate^ 
II.  In  some  places,  indeed,  we  are  favoured  with  more  ex- 
plicit descriptions,  which  exhibit  to  our  view  an  exact  repre- 


104  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

sentation  oi"  his  genuine  countenance.  For  Moses,  in  the 
description  which  he  gives  of  it,  certainly  appears  to  have  in- 
tended a  brief  comprehension  of  all  that  it  was  possible  for  men 
to  know  concerning  him.  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful 
and  gracious,  long  suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and 
truth,  keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity  and 
transgression  and  sin,  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the 
guilty;  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children, 
and  upon  the  children's  children."  (z/)  Where  we  may  observe, 
first,  the  assertion  of  his  eternity  and  self-existence,  in  that 
magnificent  name,  which  is  twice  repeated;  and,  secondly,  the 
celebration  of  his  attributes,  giving  us  a  description,  not  of 
what  he  is  in  himself,  but  of  what  he  is  to  us:  that  our  know- 
ledge of  him  may  consist  rather  in  a  lively  perception,  than  in 
vain  and  airy  speculation.  Here  we  find  an  enumeration  of  the 
same  perfections  which,  as  we  have  remarked,  are  illustriously 
displayed  both  iu  heaven  and  on  earth;  clemency,  goodness, 
mercy,  justice,  judgment,  and  truth.  For  power  is  comprised 
in  the  word  Elohim,  God.  The  prophets  distinguish  him  by 
the  same  epithets,  when  they  intend  a  complete  exhibition  of 
his  holy  name.  But  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  quoting  many- 
passages,  let  us  content  ourselves  at  present  with  referring  to 
one  Psalm;  (2)  which  contains  such  an  accurate  summary  of 
all  his  perfections,  that  nothing  seems  to  be  omitted.  And 
yet  it  contains  nothing  but  what  may  be  known  from  a  con- 
templation of  the  creatures.  Thus,  by  the  teaching  of  ex- 
perience, we  perceive  God  to  be  just  what  he  declares  himself 
in  his  word.  In  Jeremiah,  where  he  announces  in  what 
characters  he  will  be  known  by  us,  he  gives  a  description,  not 
so  full,  but  to  the  same  effect:  "  Let  him  that  glorieth  glory  in 
this,  that  he  understandeth  and  knoweth  me,  that  I  am  the 
Lord,  which  exercise  loving-kindness,  judgment,  and  righteous- 
ness, in  the  earth."  (a)  These  three  things  it  is  certainly  of 
the  highest  importance  for  us  to  know;  mercy,  in  which  alone 
consists  all  our  salvation;  judgment,  which  is  executed  on  the 
wicked  ever}'  day,  and  awaits  them  in  a  still  heavier  degree  to 
t-.ttrnal  destruction;  righteousness,  by  which  the  faithful  art- 

Kxocl.  xxxiv.  6.  (2)  Psalm  cxlv.  (a)  Jer.  ix.  24. 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  105 

preserved,  and  most  graciously  supported.  When  you  under- 
stand these  things,  the  prophecy  declares  that  you  have 
abundant  reason  for  glorying  in  God.  Nor  is  this  representa- 
tion chargeable  with  an  omission  of  his  truth,  or  his  power, 
or  his  holiness,  or  his  goodness.  For  how  could  we  have  that 
knowledge,  which  is  here  required,  of  his  righteousness,  mercy, 
and  judgment,  unless  it  were  supported  by  his  inflexible  vera- 
city? And  how  could  we  believe  that  he  governed  the  world 
in  judgment  and  justice,  if  we  were  ignorant  of  his  power? 
And  whence  proceeds  his  mercy,  but  from  his  goodness?  If 
all  his  ways,  then,  are  mercy,  judgment,  and  righteousness, 
holiness  also  must  be  conspicuously  displayed  in  them. {More- 
over, the  knowledge  of  God,  which  is  afforded  us  in  the  1 
Scripture,  is  designed  for  the  same  end  as  that  which  we. 
derive  from  the  creatures:  it  invites  us  first  to  the  fear  of  God, 
and  then  to  confidence  in  him:  that  we  may  learn  to  honour 
him  with  perfect  innocence  of  life  and  sincere  obedience  to  his 
will,  and  to  place  all  our  dependence  on  his  goodness. 

III.  But  here  I  intend  to  comprise  a  summary  of  the  general 
doctrine.  And,  first,  let  the  reader  observe,  that  the  Scripture, 
in  order  to  direct  us  to  the  true  God,  expressly  excludes 
and  rejects  all  the  gods  of  the  heathens;  because  in  almost  all 
ages  religion  has  been  generally  corrupted.  It  is  true,  indeed, 
that  the  name  of  one  supreme  God  has  been  universally  known 
and  celebrated.  For  those  who  used  to  worship  a  multitude 
of  deities,  whenever  they  spake  according  to  the  genuine  sense 
of  nature,  used  simply  the  name  of  God  in  the  singular  num- 
ber, as  though  they  were  contented  with  one  God.  And  this 
was  wisely  remarked  by  Justin  Martyr,  who  for  this  purpose 
wrote  a  book  On  the  Monarchy  of  God,  in  which  he  demon- 
strates, from  numerous  testimonies,  that  the  unity  of  God 
was  a  principle  universally  impressed  on  the  hearts  of  men. 
Tertullian  also  proves  the  same  point  from  the  common 
phraseology.  (£)  But  since  all  men,  without  exception,  have 
by  their  own  vanity  been  drawn  into  erroneous  notions,  and 
so  their  understandings  have  become  vain,  all  their  natural 
perception  of  the  Divine  unity  has  only  served  to  render  them 

O)  Lib.  «lc  Idolol.  Vid.  A.ug.  Epist.  4.1  et  44. 
VOL.  I.  O 


106  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

inexcusable.  For  even  the  wisest  of  them  evidently  betray 
the  vagrant  uncertainty  of  their  minds,  when  they  wish  for 
some  god  to  assist  them,  and  in  their  vows  call  upon  unknown 
and  fabulous  deities.  Besides,  in  imagining  the  existence  of 
many  natures  in  God,  though  they  did  not  entertain  such 
absurd  notions  as  the  ignorant  vulgar  concerning  Jupiter, 
Mercury,  Venus,  Minerva,  and  the  rest,  they  were  themselves 
by  no  means  exempt  from  the  delusions  of  Satan:  and,  as  we 
have  already  remarked,  whatever  subterfuges  their  ingenuity 
has  invented,  none  of  the  philosophers  can  exculpate  them- 
selves from  the  crime  of  revolting  from  God  by  the  corruption 
of  his  truth.  For  this  reason  Habakkuk,  after  condemning  all 
idols,  bids  us  to  seek  "  the  Lord  in  his  holy  temple,"  (r)  that 
the  faithful  might  acknowledge  no  other  God  than  Jehovah, 
who  had  revealed  himself  in  his  word. 


CHAPTER  XL 

Unlawfulness  of  ascribing  to  God  a  visible  Form.  All  Idolatry 
a  Defection  from  the  true  God. 

.NOW  as  the  Scripture,  in  consideration  of  the  ignorance 
and  dulness  of  the  human  understanding,  generally  speaks  in 
the  plainest  manner;  where  it  intends  to  discriminate  between 
the  true  God  and  all  false  gods,  it  principally  contrasts  him 
with  idols:  not  that  it  may  sanction  the  more  ingenious  and 
plausible  systems  of  the  philosophers,  but  that  it  may  better 
detect  the  folly  and  even  madness  of  the  world  in  researches 
concerning  God,  as  long  as  every  one  adheres  to  his  own 
speculations.  That  exclusive  definition,  therefore,  which  every 
where  occurs,  reduces  to  nothing  whatever  notions  of  the 
Deity  men  may  form  in  their  own  imaginations;  since  God 
alone  is  the  only  sufficient  witness  concerning  himself.  In  the 
mean  time,  since  the  whole  world  has  been  seized  with  such 
brutal  stupidity,  as  to  be  desirous  of  visible  representations  of 

(r)  Hab.  ii.  SO. 


CHAP,  xi.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  107 

Deity,  and  thus  to  fabricate  gods  of  wood,  stone,  gold,  silver, 
and  other  inanimate  and  corruptible  materials,  we  ought  to 
hold  this  as  a  certain  principle,  that  whenever  any  image  is 
made  as  a  representation  of  God,  the  Divine  glory  is  corrupted 
by  an  impious  falsehood.  Therefore  God,  in  the  law,  after 
having  asserted  the  glory  of  Deity  to  belong  exclusively  to 
himself,  when  he  intends  to  shew  what  worship  he  approves 
or  rejects,  immediately  add&,  "  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee 
any  graven  image,  or  any  likeness."  In  these  words  he  for- 
bids us  to  attempt  a  representation  of  him  in  any  visible  figure; 
and  briefly  enumerates  all  the  forms  by  which  superstition  had 
already  begun  to  change  his  truth  into  a  lie.  For  the  Persians, 
we  know,  worshipped  the  sun;  and  the  foolish  heathens  made 
for  themselves  as  many  gods  as  they  saw  stars  in  the  heavens. 
There  was  scarcely  an  animal,  indeed,  which  the  Egyptians 
did  not  consider  as  an  image  of  God.  The  Greeks  appeared 
wiser  than  the  rest,  because  they  worshipped  the  Deity  under 
a  human  form,  (d)  But  God  compares  not  idols  Vith  each 
other,  as  though  one  were  better  or  worse  than  another:  but 
rejects,  without  a  single  exception,  all  statues,  pictures,  and 
other  figures,  in  which  idolaters  imagined  that  he  would  be 
near  them. 

II.  This  it  is  easy  to  infer  from  the  reasons  which  he  annexes 
to  the  prohibition.  First,  in  the  writings  of  Moses:  "Take 
ye  therefore  good  heed  unto  yourselves;  for  ye  saw  no  manner 
of  similitude,  on  the  day  that  the  Lord  spake  unto  you  in 
Horeb,  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire:  ye  heard  the  voice  of  the 
words,  but  saw  no  similitude;  lest  ye  corrupt  yourselves,  and 
make  you  a  graven  image,  the  similitude  of  any  figure,"  &c.  (e) 
We  see  how  expressly  God  opposes  his  "voice"  to  every* 
"  manner  of  similitude,"  to  shew,  that  whoever  desires  visible 
representations  of  him,  is  guilty  of  departing  from  him.  It  wil) 
be  sufficient  to  refer  to  one  of  the  Prophets,  Isaiah,  (y*)  who 
insists  more  than  all  the  others  on  this  argument,  that  the 
Divine  Majesty  is  dishonoured  by  mean  and  absurd  fiction, 
when  he  that  is  incorporeal  is  likened  to  a  corporeal  form;  he 
that  is  invisible,  to  a  visible  image;  he  that  is  a  spirit,  to 

(cT)  Maximus  Tyrius,  Plat.  Serm.  38.         (e)  Deut-  iv.  15 
(/)  Isaiah  xl.  18.  sli.  7,  2?  xivi.  9,  &c. 


108  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

inanimate  matter;  and  he  that  fills  immensity,  to  a  log  of  wood, 
a  small  stone,  or  a  lump  of  gold.  Paul  also  reasons  in  the 
same  manner:  "  Forasmuch  then  as  we  are  the  offspring  of 
God,  we  ought  not  to  think  that  the  Godhead  is  like  unto 
gold,  or  silver,  or  stone,  graven  by  art  and  man's  device. "(5") 
Whence  it  follows,  that  whatever  statues  are  erected,  or  images 
painted,  to  represent  God,  they  are  only  displeasing  to  him, 
as  being  so  many  insults  to  the  Divine  Majesty.  And  why 
should  we  wonder  at  the  Holy  Spirit  thundering  forth 
such  oracles  from  heaven,  since  he  compels  the  blind  and 
wretched  idolaters  to  make  a  similar  confession  on  earth?  Well 
known  is  the  complaint  of  Seneca,  which  is  cited  by  Augustine: 
"  They  dedicate  (says  he)  the  vilest  and  meanest  materials  to 
represent  the  sacred,  immortal,  and  inviolable  gods;  and  give 
them  some  a  human  form,  and  some  a  brutal  one,  and  some  a 
double  sex,  and  different  bodies:  and  they  confer  the  name  of 
gods  upon  images  which,  if  animated,  would  be  accounted 
monsters."  Hence  it  farther  appears  that  the  pretence  set  up 
by  the  advocates  for  idols,  that  they  were  forbidden  to  the  Jews 
because  they  were  prone  to  superstition,  is  only  a  frivolous 
eavil,  to  evade  the  force  of  the  argument.  As  if  truly  that  were 
peculiarly  applicable  to  one  nation,  which  God  deduces  from 
his  eternal  existence,  and  the  invariable  order  of  nature. 
Besides,  Paul  was  not  addressing  the  Jews,  but  the  Athenians, 
when  he  refuted  the  error  of  making  any  similitude  of  God. 

III.  Sometimes  indeed  God  hath  discovered  his  presence 
by  certain  signs,  so  that  he  was  said  to  be  seen  "  face  to 
face:"  (A)  but  all  the  signs  which  he  ever  adopted,  were  well 
calculated  for  the  instruction  of  men,  and  afforded  clear  in- 
timations of  his  incomprehensible  essence.  For  "  the  cloud 
and  the  smoke  and  the  flame, "(z)  though  they  were  symbols 
of  celestial  glory,  nevertheless  operated  as  a  restraint  on  the 
minds  of  all,  to  prevent  their  attempting  to  penetrate  any 
farther.  Wherefore  even  Moses  (to  whom  he  manifested 
himself  more  familiarly  than  to  any  other)  obtained  not  by  his 
prayers  a  sight  of  the  face  of  God,  but  received  this  answer, 
"Thou  canst  not  see  my  face;  for  there  shall  no  man  sec 

(£)  Acts  xvii.  29.  (A)  Exod.  xxxiii.  11.  (0  Deut.  iv.  11. 


CHAP,  xi.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  109 

my  face  and  live."  (>£)  The  Holy  Spirit  once  appeared  in  the? 
form  of  a  dove;  (/)  but  as  he  presently  disappeared  again,  who 
does  not  perceive  that  by  this  momentary  symbol  the  faithful 
are  taught  that  they  should  believe  the  Spirit  to  be  invisible? 
that,  being  content  with  his  virtue  and  grace,  they  might  make 
no  external  representation  of  him.  The  appearances  of  God 
in  the  human  form  were  preludes  to  his  future  manifestation  in 
Christ.  Therefore  the  Jews  were  not  permitted  to  make  this 
a  pretext  for  erecting  a  symbol  of  the  Deity  in  the  figure  of  a 
man.  "  The  mercy-seat"(w)  also,  from  which,  under  the  law, 
God  displayed  the  presence  of  his  power,  was  so  constructed, 
as  to  suggest  that  the  best  contemplation  of  the  Divine  Being 
is,  when  the  mind  is  transported  beyond  itself  with  admiration. 
For  "  the  cherubim"  covered  it  with  their  extended  wings;  the 
vail  was  spread  before  it;  and  the  place  itself  was  sufficiently 
concealed  by  its  secluded  situation.  It  is  manifestly  unreason- 
able therefore  to  endeavour  to  defend  images  of  God  and  of 
the  saints,  by  the  example  of  those  cherubim.  For,  pray,  what 
was  signified  by  those  little  images,  but  that  images  are  not 
calculated  to  represent  the  Divine  mysteries?  since  they  were 
formed  in  such  a  manner  as,  by  veiling  the  mercy-seat  with 
their  wings,  to  prevent,  not  only  the  eyes,  but  all  the  humaw 
senses  from  prying  into  God:  and  so  to  restrain  all  temerity. 
Moreover,  the  Prophet  describes  the  seraphim  whom  he  saw  in 
a  vision,  as  having  "their  faces  covered:"  (n)  to  signify,  that 
the  splendour  of  the  Divine  glory  is  so  great,  that  even  the 
angels  themselves  cannot  steadfastly  behold  it:  and  the  faint 
sparks  of  it,  which  is  in  the  angels,  are  concealed  from  our  view. 
The  cherubim,  however,  of  which  we  are  now  speaking,  are 
acknowledged  by  all  persons  of  sound  judgment,  to  have  been 
peculiar  to  the  old  state  of  tutelage,  under  the  legal  dispensation. 
To  adduce  them,  therefore,  as  examples  for  the  imitation  of 
the  present  age,  is  quite  absurd.  For  that  puerile  period,  as 
I  may  call  it,  for  which  such  rudiments  wrere  appointed,  is  now 
past.  And  indeed  it  is  a  shameful  consideration,  that  heathen 
writers  are  more  expert  interpreters  of  the  Divine  law  than  the 
papists.  Juvenal  reproaches  and  ridicules  the  Jews,  for  wor- 

(*•)  Exod.  xxxiii.  20.  (/)  Matt.  iii.  16. 

(TO)  Exad.  xxv.  17, 18,  Sec.  f»)  Tsat^i  vl.  2: 


lit)  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

shipping  the  white  clouds  and  the  Deity  of  heaven.  This 
language  indeed  is  perverse  and  impious;  but  in  denying  that 
there  was  any  image  of  God  among  them,  he  speaks  with  more 
truth  than  the  papists,  who  idly  pretend  that  there  was  some 
visible  figure  of  him.  But  as  that  nation  frequently  broke  out 
into  idolatry,  with  great  and  sudden  impetuosity,  resembling 
the  violent  ebullition  of  water  from  a  large  spring;  hence  let 
us  learn  the  strong  propensity  of  the  human  mind  to  idolatry, 
lest,  imputing  to  the  Jews  a  crime  common  to  all,  we  should  be 
fascinated  by  the  allurements  of  sin,  and  sleep  the  sleep  of  death. 
IV.  To  the  same  purpose  is  that  passage,  "  The  idols  of  the 
heathen  are  silver  and  gold,  the  work  of  men's  hands;"  (o)  for 
the  Prophet  concludes,  from  the  very  materials,  that  they  are 
no  gods,  whose  images  are  made  of  gold  or  of  silver:  and 
takes  it  for  granted,  that  every  conception  we  form  of  the 
Deity,  merely  from  our  own  understandings,  is  a  foolish  ima- 
gination. He  mentions  gold  and  silver  rather  than  clay  or 
stone,  that  the  splendour  or  the  value  of  the  materials  may 
procure  no  reverence  for  the  idols.  But  he  concludes  in  general, 
that  nothing  is  more  improbable,  than  that  gods  should  be 
manufactured  from  any  inanimate  matter.  At-  the  same  time 
he  insists  equally  on  another  point,  that  it  is  presumption  and 
madness  in  mortal  mt?n,  Avho  are  every  moment  in  danger  of 
losing  the  fleeting  breath  which  they  draw,  to  dare  to  confer 
upon  idols  the  honour  due  to  God.  Man  is  constrained  to 
confess  that  he  is  a  creature  of  a  day,  and  yet  he  will  have  a 
piece  of  metal  to  be  worshipped  as  a  god,  of  the  deity  of  which 
he  is  the  author:  for  whence  did  idols  originate,  but  in  the 
will  of  men?  There  is  much  propriety  in  that  sarcasm  of  a 
heathen  poet,  who  represents  one  of  their  idols  as  saying, 
"  Formerly,  I  was  the  trunk  of  a  wild  fig-tree,  an  useless  log; 
when  the  artificer,  after  hesitating  whether  he  would  make 
me  a  stool  or  a  deity,  at  length  determined  that  I  should  be  a 


A  poor  mortal,  forsooth,  who  is,  as  it  were,  expiring  almost 
every  moment,  will,  by  his  workmanship,  transfer  to  a  dead 
stock  the  name  and  honour,  of  God.  But  as  that  Epicurean^ 

Cp)  Psalm  cxxxv.  15.  V  !!.>;•.  lib.  1.  cup.  3. 


CHAP.  XL]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  Ill 

in  his  satirical  effusions,  has  paid  no  respect  to  any  religion; 
leaving  this  sarcasm,  and  others  of  the  same  kind,  we  should 
be  stung  and  penetrated  by  the  rebuke  which  the  Prophet  (^) 
has  given  to  the  extreme  stupidity  of  these,  who  with  the  same 
wood  make  a  fire  to  warm  themselves,  heat  an  oven  for  baking 
bread,  roast  or  boil  their  meat,  and  fabricate  a  god,  before 
which  they  prostrate  themselves,  to  address  their  humble  sup- 
plications. In  another  place,  therefore,  he  not  only  pronounces 
them  transgressors  of  the  law,  but  reproaches  them  for  not 
having  learned  from  the  foundations  of  the  earth:  (r)  since  in 
reality  there  is  nothing  more  unreasonable  than  the  thought 
of  contracting  the  infinite  and  incomprehensible  God  within 
the  compass  of  five  feet.  And  yet  this  monstrous  abomination, 
which  is  manifestly  repugnant  to  the  order  of  nature,  experi- 
ence demonstrates  to  be  natural  to  man.  It  must  be  farther 
observed,  that  idols  are  frequently  stigmatized  as  being  the 
works  of  men's  hands,  unsanctioned  by  Divine  authority;  in 
order  to  establish  this  principle,  that  all  modes  of  worship, 
which  are  merely  of  human  invention,  are  detestable.  The. 
Psalmist  aggravates  this  madness,  forasmuch  as  men  implore 
the  aid  of  dead  and  insensible  things,  who  are  endued  with 
understanding  to  know  that  all  things  are  directed  solely 
by  the  power  of  God.  But  since  the  corruption  of  nature 
carries  all  nations  in  general,  and  each  individual  in  particular, 
to  such  an  excess  of  frenzy,  the  Spirit  at  length  thunders  out 
this  direful  imprecation,  "  Let  those  that  make  them  be  like 
unto  them,  and  every  one  that  trusteth  in  them."  (s)  Let  it 
be  observed,  that  all  similitudes  are  equally  as  much  forbidden 
as  graven  images:  which  refutes  the  foolish  subterfuge  of  the- 
Greeks;  for  they  think  themselves  quite  safe,  if  they  make 
no  sculpture  of  Deity,  while  in  pictures  they  indulge  greater 
.liberty  than  any  other  nations.  But  the  Lord  prohibits  ever} 
representation  of  him,  whether  made  by  the  statuary,  or  by 
any  other  artificer,  because  all  similitudes  are  criminal  and  in- 
sulting  to  the  Divine  Majesty. 

V.  I  know  that  it  is  a  very  common  observation,  that  image--, 
are    the    books   of  the  illiterate.    Gregory   s:tid   so;   but    vf-ry 

(?)  Isaiuh  sKv  9—20.  fr)  Isaiah  xl.  21.  (s)  Psalm  cxv  8 


112  INSTITUTES  OF  THK  [.B6oK  i. 

•  afferent  is  the  decision  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  whose  school 
had  Gregory  been  taught,  he  would  never  have  made  such  an 
assertion.  For,  since  Jeremiah  pronounces  that  "  the  stock 
is  a  doctrine  of  vanities,"(f)  since  Hahakkuk  represents  "a 
molten  image"  as  "a  teacher  of  lies;"(v)  certainly  the  general 
doctrine  to  be  gathered  from  these  passages  is,  that  whatever 
men  learn  respecting  God  from  images  is  equally  frivolous  and 
false.  If  any  one  object,  that  the  Prophets  only  reprehended 
those  who  abused  images  to  the  impious  purposes  of  super- 
stition; that  indeed  I  grant:  but  affirm  also,  what  is  evident 
to  every  one,  that  they  utterly  condemn  what  is  assumed  by 
the  papists  as  an  indubitable  axiom,  that  images  are  substi- 
tutes for  books.  For  they  contrast  images  with  the  true  God, 
as  contraries,  which  can  never  agree.  This  comparison,  I  say, 
is  laid  down  in  those  passages  which  I  have  just  cited;  that 
since  there  is  only  one  true  God,  whom  the  Jews  worshipped, 
there  can  be  no  visible  figures  made,  to  serve  as  representa- 
tions of  the  Divine  Being,  without  falsehood  and  crimi- 
nality; and  all  who  seek  the  knowledge  of  God  from  such 
figures  are  under  a  miserable  delusion.  Were  it  not  true,  that 
all  knowledge  of  God,  sought  from  images,  is  corrupt  and 
fallacious,  it  would  not  be  so  uniformly  condemned  by  the 
Prophets.  This  at  least  must  be  granted  to  us,  that  when  we 
maintain  the  vanity  and  fallaciousness  of  the  attempts  of  men 
to  make  visible  representations  of  God,  we  do  no  other  than 
recite  the  express  declarations  of  the  Prophets. 

VI.  Read  likewise  what  has  been  written  on  this  subject  by 
JLactantius  and  Eusebius,  who  hesitate  not  to  assume  as  a  cer- 
tainty, that  alt  those  whose  images  are  to  be  seen,  were  mortal 
men.  Augustine  also  confidently  asserts  the  unlawfulness,  not 
only  of  worshipping  images,  but  even  of  erecting  any  with 
reference  to  God.  Nor  does  he  advance  any  thing  different 
from  what  had,  many  years  before,  been  decreed  by  the  Eliber- 
tine  council,  the  thirty-sixth  chapter  of  which  is  as  follows: 
"  it  hath  been  decreed,  that  no  pictures  be  had  in  the  churches, 
and  that  what  is  worshipped  or  adored  be  not  painted  on  the 
walls."  But  most  remarkable,  is  what  Augustine  elsewherc- 

(OJer.x.  8.  O)Hab.  ii.  18. 


CHAP,  xi.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  113 

cites  from  Varro,  and  to  the  truth  of  which  he  subscribes, 
"  That  they  who  first  introduced  images  of  the  gods,  removed 
fear  and  added  error."  If  this  had  been  a  mere  assertion  of 
Varro  alone,  it  might  have  perhaps  but  little  authority;  yet 
it  should  justly  fill  us  with  shame,  that  a  heathen,  groping  as 
it  were  in  the  dark,  attained  so  much  light  as  to  perceive  that 
corporeal  representations  were  unworthy  of  the  Divine  Majesty, 
being  calculated  to  diminish  the  fear  of  God,  and  to  increase 
error  among  mankind.  The  fact  itself  demonstrates  this  to 
have  been  spoken  with  equal  truth  and  wisdom;  but  Augustine, 
having  borrowed  it  from  Varro,  advances  it  as  his  own  opinion. 
And  first  he  observes,  that  the  most  ancient  errors  concerning 
God,  in  which  men  were  involved,  did  not  originate  from 
images,  but  were  increased  by  them,  as  by  the  superaddition  of 
new  materials.  He  next  explains  that  the  fear  of  God  is  thereby 
diminished  and  even  destroyed;  since  the  foolish,  ridiculous, 
and  absurd  fabrication  of  idols  would  easily  bring  his  divinity 
into  contempt.  Of  the  truth  of  this  second  remark,  I  sincerely 
wish  that  we  had  not  such  proofs  in  our  own  experience.  Who- 
ever, therefore,  desires  to  be  rightly  instructed,  he  must  learn 
from  some  other  quarter  than  from  images,  what  is  to  be  known 
concerning  God. 

VII.  If  the  Papists  have  any  shame,  let  them  no  longer  use 
this  subterfuge,  that  images  are  the  books  of  the  illiterate:  which 
is  so  clearly  refuted  by  numerous  testimonies  from  Scripture. 
Yet  though  I  should  concede  this  point  to  them,  it  would  avail 
them  but  little  in  defence  of  their  idols.  What  monsters 
they  obtrude  in  the  place  of  Deity,  is  well  known.  But  what 
they  call  the  pictures  or  statues  of  their  saints;  what  are 
they,  but  examples  of  the  most  abandoned  luxury  and  ob- 
scenity? which  if  any  one  were  desirous  of  imitating,  he  would  .. 
deserve  corporal  punishment.  Even  prostitutes  in  brothels  are 
to  be  seen  in  more  chaste  and  modest  att\re,  than  those  images 
in  their  temples,  which  they  wish  to  be  accounted  images  of 
virgins.  Nor  do  they  clothe  the  martyrs  in  habits  at  all  more 
becoming.  Let  them  adorn  their  idols,  then,  with  some  small 
degree  of  modesty,  that  the  pretence  of  their  being  books  of 
some  holiness,  if  not  less  false,  may  be  less  impudent.  But 
even  then,  we  will  reply,  that  this  is  not  the  method  to  be 

VOL.  I.  P 


114  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

adopted,  in  sacred  places,  for  the  instruction  of  the  faithful, 
whom  God  will  have  taught  a  very  different  doctrine  from  any 
that  can  be  learned  from  such  insignificant  trifles.  He  hath 
commanded  one  common  doctrine  to  be  there  proposed  to  all, 
in  the  preaching  of  his  word,  and  in  his  sacred  mysteries:  to 
which  they  betray  great  inattention  of  mind,  who  are  carried 
about  by  their  eyes  to  the  contemplation  of  idols.  Whom,  then, 
do  the  papists  call  illiterate,  whose  ignorance  will  suffer  them 
to  be  taught  only  by  images?  Those  truly,  whom  the  Lord 
acknowledges  as  his  disciples;  whom  he  honours  with  the 
revelation  of  his  heavenly  philosophy;  whom  he  will  have 
instructed  in  the  healthful  mysteries  of  his  kingdom.  I  confess, 
indeed,  as  things  are  now  circumstanced,  there  are  at  pre- 
sent not  a  few  who  cannot  bear  to  be  deprived  of  such  books. 
But  whence  avises  this  stupidity,  but  from  being  defrauded 
of  that  teaching  which  alone  is  adapted  to  their  instruction? 
In  fact,  those  who  presided  over  the  churches,  resigned  to  idols 
the  office  of  teaching,  for  no  other  reason  but  because  they 
were  themselves  dumb.  Paul  testifies,  that  in  the  true  preach- 
ing of  this  Gospel,  Christ  is  "  evidently  set  forth,"  and,  as  it 
were,  "crucified  before  our  eyes."  (w)  To  what  purpose, 
then,  was  the  erection  of  so  many  crosses  of  wood  and  stone, 
silver  and  gold,  every  where  in  the  temples,  if  it  had  been  fully 
and  faithfully  inculcated,  that  Christ  died,  that  he  might  bear 
our  curse  on  the  cross,  expiate  our  sins  by  the  sacrifice  of  his 
body,  cleanse  us  by  his  blood,  and,  in  a  word,  reconcile  us  to 
God  the  Father?  From  this  simple  declaration  they  might 
learn  more  than  from  a  thousand  crosses  of  wood  or  stone; 
for  perhaps  the  avaricious  fix  their  minds  and  their  eyes  more 
tenaciously  on  the  gold  and  silver  crosses,  than  on  any  part  of 
the  divine  word. 

VIII.  Respecting  the  origin  of  idols,  the  generally  received 
opinion  agrees  with  what  is  asserted  in  the  book  of  Wisdom;  (#) 
namely,  that  the  first  authors  of  them  were  persons  who  paid 
this  honour  to  the  dead,  from  a  superstitious  reverence  for 
their  memory.  I  grant  that  this  perverse  custom  was  very 
ancient,  and  deny  not  that  it  greatly  contributed  to  increase 

O)  Gal.  iii.  1,  (*)  Wisdom  xiv.  15 


GHAP.  xi.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  115 

the  rage  of  mankind  after  idolatry;  nevertheless,  I  cannot 
concede  that  it  was  the  first  cause  of  that  evil.  For  it  appears 
from  Moses,  that  idols  were  in  use  long  before  the  introduc- 
tion of  that  ostentatious  consecration  of  the  images  of  the  dead, 
which  is  frequently  mentioned  by  profane  writers.  When  he 
relates  that  Rachel  stole  her  father's  idols,  («/)  he  speaks  as  of 
a  common  corruption.  Whence  we  may  infer,  that  the  mind 
of  man  is,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  expression,  a  perpetual 
manufactory  of  idols.  After  the  deluge,  there  was,  as  it  were, 
a  regeneration  of  the  world:  but  not  many  years  elapsed  before 
men  fabricated  gods  according  to  their  own  fancy.  And  it 
is  probable,  that  while  the  holy  patriarch  was  yet  alive,  his 
posterity  were  addicted  to  idolatry,  so  that,  with  the  bitterest 
grief,  he  might,  with  his  own  eyes,  behold  the  earth  which 
God  had  lately  purged  from  its  corruptions  by  such  a  dreadful 
judgment,  again  polluted  with  idols.  For  Terah  and  Nachor, 
before  the  birth  of  Abraham,  were  worshippers  of  false  gods, 
as  is  asserted  by  Joshua,  (z)  Since  the  posterity  of  Shem  so 
speedily  degenerated,  what  opinion  must  we  entertain  of  the 
descendants  of  Ham,  who  had  already  been  cursed  in  their 
father?  The  true  state  of  the  case  is,  that  the  mind  of  man, 
being  full  of  pride  and  temerity,  dares  to  conceive  of  God 
according  to  its  own  standard;  and,  being  sunk  in  stupidity, 
and  immersed  in  profound  ignorance,  imagines  a  vain  and 
ridiculous  phantom  instead  of  God.  These  evils  are  followed 
by  another:  men  attempt  to  express,  in  the  work  of  their  hands, 
such  a  deity  as  they  have  imagined  in  their  minds.  The  mind 
then  begets  the  idol,  and  the  hand  bringeth  it  forth.  The 
example  of  the  Israelites  proves  this  to  have  been  the  origin  of 
idolatry,  namely,  that  men  believe  not  God  to  be  among 
them,  unless  he  exhibit  some  external  signs  of  his  presence. 
"  As  for  this  Moses,"  they  said,  "  we  wot  not  what  is  become 
of  him:  make  us  gods,  which  shall  go  before  us."  (a)  They 
knew  indeed  that  there  was  a  God,  whose  power  they  had 
experienced  in  so  many  miracles;  but  they  had  no  confidence 
in  his  being  present  with  them,  unless  they  could  see  some 
corporeal  symbol  of  his  countenance,  as  a  testimony  of  their 

(#)  Gen.  xxxi.  19.  (z)  Joshua  xxiv.  2.  (a)  Exod.  xxxii.  1. 


116  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

Divine  Guide.  They  wished  therefore  to  understand,  from 
the  image  going  before  them,  that  God  was  the  leader  of  their 
march.  Daily  experience  teaches,  that  the  flesh  is  never  satisfied, 
till  it  has  obtained  some  image,  resembling  itself,  in  which  it 
may  be  foolishly  gratified,  as  an  image  of  God.  In  almost  all 
ages  from  the  creation  of  the  world,  in  obedience  to  this  stupid 
propensity,  men  have  erected  visible  representations,  in  which 
they  believed  God  to  be  presented  to  their  carnal  eyes. 

IX.  Such  an  invention  is  immediately  attended  with  adora- 
tion: for  when  men  supposed  that  they  saw  God  in  images, 
they  also  worshipped  him  in  them.  At  length,  both  their  eyes 
and  their  minds  being  wholly  confined  to  them,  they  began  to 
grow  more  stupid,  and  to  admire  them,  as  though  they  possessed 
some  inherent  divinity.  Now  it  is  plain  that  men  did  not  rush 
into  the  worship  of  images,  till  they  had  imbibed  some  very 
gross  opinion  respecting  them;  not  indeed  that  they  believed 
them  to  be  gods,  but  they  imagined  that  something  of  divinity 
resided  in  them.  When  you  prostrate  yourself,  therefore,  in 
adoration  of  an  image,  whether  you  suppose  it  to  represent 
God,  or  a  creature,  you  are  already  fascinated  with  supersti- 
tion. For  this  reason  the  Lord  hath  prohibited,  not  only  the 
erection  of  statues  made  as  representations  of  him,  but  also  the 
consecration  of  any  inscriptions  or  monuments  to  stand  as 
objects  of  worship.  For  the  same  reason  also,  another  point  is 
annexed  to  the  precept  in  the  law  concerning  adoration.  For 
as  soon  as  men  have  made  a  visible  figure  of  God,  they  attach 
Divine  power  to  it.  Such  is  the  stupidity  of  men,  that  they 
confine  God  to  any  image  which  they  make  to  represent  him, 
and  therefore  cannot  but  worship  it.  Nor  is  it  of  any  import- 
ance, whether  they  worship  simply  the  idol,  or  God  in  the 
idol;  it  is  always  idolatry,  when  divine  honours  are  paid  to  an 
idol,  under  any  pretence  whatsoever.  And  as  God  will  not  be 
worshipped  in  a  superstitious  or  idolatrous  manner,  whatever 
is  conferred  on  idols  is  taken  from  him.  Let  this  be  consi- 
dered by  those  who  seek  such  miserable  pretexts  for  the  defence 
of  that  execrable  idolatry,  with  which  for  many  ages  true  reli- 
gion had  been  overwhelmed  and  subverted. ,  The  images,  they 
say,  are  not  considered  as  gods.  Neither  were  the  Jews  so 


CHAP,  xi.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  lir 

thoughtless  as  not  to  remember,  that  it  was  God  by  whose 
hand  they  had  been  conducted  out  of  Egypt,  before  they  made 
the  calf.  But  when  Aaron  said  that  those  were  the  gods  by 
whom  they  had  been  liberated  from  Egypt,  they  boldly  assent- 
ed; (£)  signifying,  doubtless,  that  they  would  keep  in  remem- 
brance, that  God  himself  was  their  deliverer,  while  they  could 
see  him  going  before  them  in  the  calf.  Nor  can  we  believe 
the  heathens  to  have  been  so  stupid,  as  to  conceive  that  God 
was  no  other  than  wood  and  stone.  For  they  changed  the 
images  at  pleasure,  but  always  retained  in  their  minds  the  same 
gods:  and  there  were  many  images  for  one  god,  nor  did  they 
imagine  to  themselves  gods  in  proportion  to  the  multitude  of 
images:  besides,  they  daily  consecrated  new  images,  but  with- 
out supposing  that  they  made  new  gods.  Read  the  excuses, 
which,  Augustine  says,  (c)  were  alleged  by  the  idolaters  of  the 
age  in  which  he  lived.  When  they  were  charged  with  idolatry, 
the  vulgar  replied,  that  they  worshipped,  not  the  visible  figure, 
but  the  divinity  that  invisibly  dwelt  in  it.  But  they,  whose 
religion  was,  as  he  expresses  himself,  more  refined,  said,  that 
they  worshipped  neither  the  image,  nor  the  spirit  represented 
by  it;  but  that  in  the  corporeal  figure  they  beheld  a  sign  of 
that  which  they  ought  to  worship.  What  is  to  be  inferred 
from  this,  but  that  all  idolaters,  whether  Jewish  or  Gentile,  have 
been  guided  by  the  notion  which  I  have  mentioned?  Not  con- 
tent with  a  spiritual  knowledge  of  God,  they  thought  that  they 
should  receive  more  clear  and  familiar  impressions  of  him  by 
means  of  images.  After  they  had  once  pleased  themselves 
with  such  a  preposterous  representation  of  God,  they  ceased 
not  from  being  deluded  with  new  fallacies,  till  they  imagined 
that  God  displayed  his  power  in  images.  Nevertheless,  the 
Jews  were  persuaded  that,  under  such  images,  they  worshipped 
the  eternal  God,  the  one  true  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth;  and 
the  heathens,  that  they  worshipped  their  false  gods,  whom  they 
pretended  to  be  inhabitants  of  heaven. 

X.  Those  who  deny  that  this  has  been  done  in  time  past, 
and  even  within  our  own  remembrance,  assert  an  impudent 
falsehood.  For  why  do  they  prostrate  themselves  before 

(4)  Exod.  xxxiL  4 — 6.  (c)  In  Psalm  cxiil. 


118  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

images?  And  when  about  to  pray,  why  do  they  turn  them- 
selves towards  them,  as  towards  the  ears  of  God?  For  it  is  true, 
as  Augustine  says,  (<f)  "  That  no  man  prays  or  worships  thus, 
looking  on  an  image,  who  is  not  impressed  with  an  opinion 
that  he  shall  be  heard  by  it,  and  a  hope  that  it  will  do  for  him 
as  he  desires."  Why  is  there  so  great  a  difference  between 
images  of  the  same  god,  that  one  is  passed  by  with  little  or  no 
respect,  and  another  is  honoured  in  the  most  solemn  manner? 
Why  do  they  fatigue  themselves  with  votive  pilgrimages,  in 
going  to  see  images  resembling  those  which  they  have  at  home? 
Why  do  they  at  this  day  fight,  even  to  slaughter  and  destruc- 
tion, in  defence  of  them,  as  of  their  country  and  religion,  so 
that  they  could  part  with  the  only  true  God  more  easily  than 
with  their  idols?  Yet  I  am  not  here  enumerating  the  gross 
errors  of  the  vulgar,  which  are  almost  infinite,  and  occupy 
nearly  the  hearts  of  all:  I  only  relate  what  they  themselves 
allege,  when  they  are  most  anxious  to  exculpate  themselves  from 
idolatry.  "  We  never,"  say  they,  "  call  them  our  gods."  Nor 
did  the  Jews  or  heathens  in  ancient  times  call  them  their  gods: 
and  yet  the  Prophets,  in  all  their  writings,  were  constantly 
accusing  them  of  fornication  with  wood  and  stone,  only  on 
account  of  such  things  as  are  daily  practised  by  those  who 
wish  to  be  thought  Christians;  that  is,  for  worshipping  God, 
by  corporeal  adoration  before  figures  of  wood  or  stone. 

XI.  I  am  neither  ignorant,  nor  desirous  of  concealing,  that 
they  evade  the  charge  by  a  more  subtile  distinction,  which 
will  soon  be  noticed  more  at  large.  They  pretend,  that  the 
reverence  which  they  pay  to  images  is  f/2«A*  5»Au*  (service 
of  images),  but  deny  that  it  is  e<3*>x«  /*Tg£<*  (worship  of  images). 
For  in  this  manner  they  express  themselves,  when  they  main- 
tain, that  the  reverence  which  they  call  J**!/*,  may  be  given 
to  statues  or  pictures,  without  injury  to  God.  They  consider 
themselves,  therefore,  liable  to  no  blame,  while  they  are  only 
the  servants  of  their  idols,  and  not  worshippers  of  them;  as 
though  worship  were  not  rather  inferior  to  service.  And  yet, 
while  they  seek  to  shelter  themselves  under  a  Greek  term,  they 
contradict  themselves  in  the  most  childish  manner.  For  since 

(J)  In  Psalm  cxiii. 


GHAP.  xi.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  119 

the  Greek  word  A«Tg«v«r  signifies  nothing  else  but  to  worship; 
what  they  say  is  equivalent  to  a  confession  that  they  adore 
their  images,  but  without  adoration.  Nor  can  they  justly 
object,  that  I  am  trying  to  ensnare  them  with  words:  they  be- 
tray their  own  ignorance  in  their  endeavours  to  raise  a  mist 
before  the  eyes  of  the  simple.  But,  however  eloquent  they 
may  be,  they  will  never  be  able,  by  their  rhetoric,  to  prove  one 
and  the  same  thing  to  be  two  different  things.  Let  them  point 
out,  I  say,  a  difference  in  fact,  that  they  may  be  accounted 
different  from  ancient  idolaters.  For,  as  an  adulterer,  or  homi- 
cide, will  not  escape  the  imputation  of  guilt,  by  giving  his 
crime  a  new  and  arbitrary  name;  so  it  is  absurd  that  these 
persons  should  be  exculpated  by  the  subtle  invention  of  a 
name,  if  they  really  differ  in  no  respect  from  those  idolaters, 
whom  they  themselves  are  constrained  to  condemn.  But  their 
case  is  so, far  from  being  different  from  that  of  former  idolaters, 
that  the  source  of  all  the  evil  is  a  preposterous  emulation, 
with  which  they  have  rivalled  them,  by  exercising  their  minds 
in  contriving,  and  their  hands  in  forming,  visible  symbols  of 
the  Deity. 

XII.  Nevertheless,  I  am  not  so  scrupulous  as  to  think  that 
no  images  ought  ever  to  be  permitted.  But  since  sculpture 
and  painting  are  gifts  of  God,  I  wish  for  a  pure  and  legiti- 
mate use  of  both;  lest  those  things,  which  the  Lord  hath 
conferred  on  us  for  his  glory  and  our  benefit,  be  not  only 
corrupted  by  preposterous  abuse,  but  even  perverted  to  our 
ruin.  We  think  it  unlawful  to  make  any  visible  figure  as  a 
representation  of  God,  because  he  hath  himself  forbidden  it, 
and  it  cannot  be  done  without  detracting,  in  some  measure, 
from  his  glory.  Let  it  not  be  supposed  that  we  are  singular 
in  this  opinion;  for  that  all  sound  writers  have  uniformly 
reprobated  the  practice,  must  be  evident  to  persons  conversant 
with  their  works.  If,  then,  it  be  not  lawful  to  make  any  cor- 
poreal representation  of  God,  much  less  will  it  be  lawful  to 
worship  it  for  God,  or  to  worship  God  in  it.  We  conclude, 
therefore,  that  nothing  should  be  painted  and  engraved  but 
objects  visible  to  our  eyes:  the  Divine  Majesty,  which  is  far 
above  the  reach  of  human  sight,  ought  not  to  be  corrupted  by 
unseemly  figures.  The  subjects  of  those  arts  consist  partly  of 


120  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [HOOK  i. 

histories  and  transactions,  partly  of  images  and  corporeal  forms, 
without  reference  to  any  transactions.  The  former  are  of  some 
use  in  information  or  recollection;  the  latter,  as  far  as  I  see, 
can  furnish  nothing  but  amusement.  And  \ct  it  is  evident,  that 
almost  all  the  images,  which  have  hitherto  been  set  up  in  the 
churches,  have  been  of  this  latter  description.  Hence  it  may 
be  seen,  that  they  were  placed  there,  not  with  judgment  and 
discrimination,  but  from  a  foolish  and  inconsiderate  passion 
for  them.  I  say  nothing  here  of  the  impropriety  and  indecency 
conspicuous  in  most  of  them,  and  the  wanton  licentiousness 
displayed  in  them  by  the  painters  and  statuaries,  at  which  I 
have  before  hinted:  I  only  assert,  that  even  if  they  were  intrin- 
sically faultless,  still  they  would  be  altogether  unavailing  for 
the  purposes  of  instruction. 

XIII.  But  passing  over  that  difference  also,  let  us  consider, 
as  we  proceed,  whether  it  be  expedient  to  have  any  images  at  all 
in  Christian  temples,  either  descriptive  of  historical  events,  or  re- 
presentative of  human  forms.  In  the  first  place,  if  the  authority  of 
the  ancient  Church  have  any  influence  with  us,  let  us  remember, 
that  for  about  .five  hundred  years,  while  religion  continued  in  a 
more  prosperous  state,  and  purer  doctrine  prevailed,  the  Chris- 
tian churches  were  generally  without  images.  They  were  then  first 
introduced,  therefore,  to  ornament  the  churches,  when  the  purity 
of  the  ministry  had  begun  to  degenerate.  I  will  not  dispute 
what  was  the  reason  which  influenced  the  first  authors  of  them; 
but  if  you  compare  one  age  with  another,  you  will  see  that 
they  were  much  declined  from  the  integrity  of  those  who  had 
no  images.  Who  can  suppose,  that  those  holy  fathers  would 
have  permitted  the  Church  to  remain  so  long  destitute  of 
what  they  judged  useful  and  salutary  for  it?  The  fact  was, 
that  instead  of  omitting  them  through  ignorance  or  negligence, 
they  perceived  them  to  be  of  little  or  no  use,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, pregnant  with  much  danger;  and,  therefore,  intention- 
ally and  wisely  rejected  them.  This  is  asserted  in  express 
terms  by  Augustine:  "  When  they  are  fixed,"  says  he,  "  in 
those  places  in  an  honourable  elevation,  to  attract  the  attention 
of  those  who  are  praying  and  sacrificing;  though  they  are 
destitute  of  sense  and  life,  yet,  by  the  very  similitude  of  living 
members  and  senses,  they  affect  weak  minds,  so  that  they  appear 


CHAP,  xi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  121 

to  them  to  live  and  breathe,"  &c.  (i)  And  in  another  place: 
44  For  that  representation  of  members  leads,  and,  as  it  were, 
constrains,  the  mind,  which  animates  a  body,  to  suppose  that 
body  to  be  endued  with  perception  which  it  sees  to  be  very 
similar  to  its  own,"  &c.  And  a  little  after:  "  Idols  have  more 
influence  to  bow  down  an  unhappy  soul,  because  they  have  a 
mouth,  eyes,  ears,  and  feet;  than  to  correct  it,  because  they 
neither  speak,  nor  see,  nor  hear,  nor  walk."  This  indeed  ap- 
pears to  be  the  reason  of  John's  exhortation  to  "  keep  our- 
selves," not  only  from  the  worship  of  idols,  but  "  from  idols" 
themselves.  And  we  have  found  it  too  true,  that,  through  the 
horrible  frenzy,  which,  almost  to  the  total  destruction  of  piety, 
hath  heretofore  possessed  the  world,  as  soon  as  images  are  set 
up  in  churches,  there  is,  as  it  were,  a  standard  of  idolatry 
erected;  for  the  folly  of  mankind  cannot  refrain  from  imme- 
diately falling  into  idolatrous  worship.  But  even  if  the  danger 
were  less,  yet,  when  I  consider  the  use  for  which  temples 
were  designed,;  it  appears  to  me  extremely  unworthy  of  their 
sanctity  to  receive  any  other  images,  than  those  natural  and 
expressive  ones,  which  the  Lord  hath  consecrated  in  his  word: 
I  mean  Baptism,  and  the  Supper  of  the  Lord,  and  the  other 
ceremonies,  with  which  our  eyes  ought  to  be  more  attentively 
engaged,  and  more  sensibly  affected,  than  to  require  any  others 
formed  by  human  ingenuity.; Behold  the  incomparable  advan- 
tages of  images!  the  loss  of  which,  if  you  believe  the  papists, 
nothing  can  compensate. 

XIV.  The  remarks  already  made  on  this  subject,  I  think, 
would  be  sufficient,  if  it  were  not  necessary  to  take  some  notice 
of  the  Council  of  Nice;  not  that  very  celebrated  one,  which  was 
convened  by  Constantine  the  Great,  but  that  which  was  held 
about  eight  hundred  years  ago,  by  the  command,  and  under 
the  auspices,  of  the  Empress  Irene.  For  that  Council  decreed, 
not  only  that  images  should  be  had  in  churches,  but  also  that 
they  should  be  worshipped.  And,  notwithstanding  what  I  have 
advanced,  the  authority  of  the  Council  would  raise  a  strong 
prejudice  on  the  contrary  side.  Though,  to  confess  the  truth, 
I  am  not  much  concerned  at  this,  as  I  am  to  shew  the  reader 

(<•)  Epist.  49.  De  Civ.  Dei,  lib.  4.  cap.  31. 

VOL.  I.  Q 


122  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

their  extreme  madness,  whose  fondness  for  images  exceeded 
any  thing  that  was  becoming  in  Christians.   But  let  us    dis- 
patch   this    point  first:    the   present  advocates  for  the  use    of 
images,  allege  the  authority  of  that  Nicene  Council  in  their 
defence.  There  is  a  book  extant,  written  in  refutation  of  this 
practice,   under  the  name  of   Charlemagne;    which,  from  the 
diction,  we  may  conclude  was  composed  at  the  same  time.   In 
this  work  are  recited  the  opinions  of  the  bishops,  who  attended 
the  Council,  and  the  arguments  they  used  in  the  controversy. 
John,  the  delegate  of  the  Eastern  churches,  said,  "God  created 
man  in  his  own  image:"   and  hence  he  inferred  that  we  ought 
to  have  images.  The  same   prelate  thought  that  images  were 
recommended  to  us  by  this  sentence:  "  Shew  me  thy  face,  for 
it   is    glorious."    Another,  to    prove    that    they  ought   to    be 
placed  on  the  altars,  cited  this  testimony:   "  No  man  lighteth 
a  candle,  and  putteth  it  under  a  bushel."  Another,  to  shew 
the  contemplation  of  these  to  be  useful  to  us,  adduced  a  verse 
from   a  Psalm,  "  The   light  of  thy  countenance,  O   Lord,  is 
sealed  upon   us."   Another  pressed   this  comparison  into  his 
service:  "As  the  patriarchs  used  the  sacrifices  of  the  heathens, 
so  Christians  ought  to  have  the  images  of  saints,  instead  of  the 
idols  of   the  heathens."    In  the  same   manner  they  tortured 
that  expression,  "  Lord,  I  have  loved  the  beauty  of  thy  house." 
But  the  most  ingenious  of  all  was  their  interpretation  of  this 
passage:  "  As  we  have  heard,  so  have  we  seen;"  that  therefore 
God  is  known,  not  only  by  the  hearing  of  his  word,  but  by  the 
contemplation  of   images.   Similar   is   the   subtlety  of   bishop 
Theodore:  "  God  is  glorious  in  his  saints."   And  in  another 
place  it  is  said,  "  In  the  saints  that  are  in  the  earth:"  there- 
fore this  ought  to  be  referred  to  images.   But  their  imperti- 
nencies    and   absurdities  are  so  disgusting,  that   I  am  quite 
ashamed  to  repeat  them. 

XV.  When  they  dispute  concerning  adoration,  they  bring 
forward  Jacob's  worshipping  of  Pharaoh,  and  of  the  staff  of 
Joseph,  and  of  the  inscription  erected  by  himself.  Although, 
in  this  last  instance,  they  not  only  corrupt  the  sense  of  the 
Scripture,  but  allege  what  is  no  where  to  be  found.  These 
passages  also,  u  Worship  his  footstool;"  "  Worship  in  his 
holy  hill;"  and,  "  All  the  rich  of  the  people  shall  supplicate 


CHAP,  xi.j         CHRISTIAN   RELIGION.  123 

thy  face:"  they  consider  as  apposite  and  conclusive  proofs. 
If  any  one  wished  to  represent  the  advocates  for  images  in  a 
ridiculous  point  of  view,  could  he  possibly  ascribe  to  them 
greater  and  grosser  instances  of  folly?  But,  that  no  doubt  of 
this  might  remain,  Theodosius,  bishop  of  Mira,  defends  the 
propriety  of  worshipping  images  from  the  dreams  of  his  arch- 
deacon, as  seriously  as  if  he  had  an  immediate  revelation  from 
heaven.  Now  let  the  advocates  of  images  go  and  urge  upon 
us  the  decree  of  that  Council;  as  though  those  venerable 
fathers  had  not  entirely  destroyed  all  their  credit  by  such 
puerile  treatment  of  the  sacred  Scriptures,  or  such  impious 
and  shameful  mutilation  of  them. 

XVI.  I  come  now  to  those  prodigies  of  impiety,  which  it  is 
wonderful  that  they  ever  ventured  to  broach:  and  more  won- 
derful still,  that  they  have  not  been  opposed  with  universal 
detestation.  It  is  right  to  expose  this  flagitious  madness,  that 
the  worship  of  images  may  at  least  be  deprived  of  the  pretence 
of  antiquity,  which  the  papists  falsely  urge  in  its  favour.  Theo- 
dosius, bishop  of  Amorum,  denounces  an  anathema  against  all 
who  are  averse  to  the  worship  of  images.  Another  imputes  all 
the  calamities  of  Greece  and  the  East  to  the  crime  of  not 
having  worshipped  them.  What  punishments,  then,  did  the 
Prophets,  Apostles,  and  Martyrs  deserve,  in  whose  time  images 
were  unknown?  They  add  farther,  If  the  image  of  the  emperor 
be  met  by  processions  with  perfumes  and  incense;  much  more 
is  this  honour  due  to  the  images  of  the  saints.  Constantius, 
bishop  of  Constance,  in  Cyprus,  professes  his  reverence  for 
images,  and  avows  that  he  will  pay  them  the  same  worship 
and  honour  as  is  due  to  the  Trinity,  the  source  of  all  life;  and 
whoever  refuses  to  do  the  same,  he  anathematizes  and  dismisses 
with  the  Manichees  and  Marcionites.  And,  lest  you  should 
suppose  this  to  be  the  private  opinion  of  an  individual,  they 
all  declare  their  assent  to  it.  John,  the  delegate  of  the  Eastern 
churches,  carried  by  the  fervour  of  his  zeal  to  still  greater 
lengths,  asserts  it  to  be  better  to  admit  all  the  brothels  of  the 
world  into  one  city,  than  to  reject  the  worship  of  images.  At 
length  it  was  unanimously  decreed,  that  the  Samaritans  were 
worse  than  all  heretics,  and  that  the  adversaries  of  images  were 
worse  than  the  Samaritans.  But,  that  the  farce  might  not 


124  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

*   *• 

want  its  usual  plaudit,  they  add  this  clause:  "  Let  them  rejoice 
and  exult,  who  have  the  image  of  Christ,  and  offer  sacrifice 
to  it."  Where  is  now  the  distinction  of  >«r(ff«  and  3j»A«<*, 
with  which  they  attempt  to  deceive  both  God  and  men?  For 
the  Council  gives  the  same  honour,  without  any  exception,  to 
images  and  to  the  living  God. 


WfeVWWVVWVW 

CHAPTER  XII. 

God  contradistinguished  from  Idols,  that  he  may  be  solely  and 
supremely  -worshipped. 

\VE  said  at  the  beginning,  that  the  knowledge  of  God_con- 
sists  not  in  frigid  speculation,  but  is  accompanied  by  the_jyor- 
ship  of  him.  We  also  cursorily  touched  on  the  right  method 
of  worshipping  him,  which  will  be  more  fully  explained  in 
other  places.  I  now  only  repeat,  in  few  words,  that  whenever 
the  Scripture  asserts  that  there  is  but  one  God,  it  contends 
not  for  the  bare  name,  but  also  teaches,  that  whatever  belongs 
to  the  Deity,  should  not  be  transferred  to  another.  This  shews 
how  pure  religion  differs  from  idolatry.  The  Greek  Mrord 
tvffiGitcc  certainly  signifies  right  worship;  since  even  blind 
mortals,  groping  in  the  dark,  have  always  perceived  the  neces- 
sity of  some  certain  rule,  that  the  worship  of  God  may  not 
be  involved  in  disorder  and  confusion.  The  word  religion, 
although  Cicero  ingeniously  and  correctly  derives  it  from  a  verb, 
signifying  "  to  read  over  again,"  or  "to  gather  again;"  yet  the 
reason  he  assigns  for  it,  that  good  worshippers  often  recollect, 
and  diligently  reconsider  what  is  true,  is  forced  and  far-fetched. 
I  rather  think  the  word  is  opposed  to  a  liberty  of  wandering 
without  restraint;  because  the  greater  part  of  the  world  rashly 
embrace  whatever  they  meet  with,  and  also  ramble  from  one 
thing  to  another;  but  piety,  in  order  to  walk  with  a  steady 
step,  collects  itself  within  its  proper  limits.  The  word  supcr- 
Ktition  also  appears  to  me  to  import  a  discontent  with  the 
method  and  order  prescribed,  and  an  accumulation  of  a  super- 
fluous mass  of  vain  things.  But  to  leave  the  consideration  of 


CHAP,  xii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  125 

words,  it  has  been  generally  admitted,  in  all  ages,  that  religion 
is  corrupted  and  perverted  by  errors  and  falsehoods;  whence 
we  inter,  that  when  we  allow  ourselves  any  thing  from  incon- 
siderate zeal,  the  pretext  alleged  by  the  superstitious  is  alto- 
gether frivolous.  Although  this  confession  is  in  the  mouths  ot 
all,  they  betray,  at  the  same  time,  a  shameful  ignorance,  neither 
adhering  to  the  one  true  God,  nor  observing  any  discrimina- 
tion in  his  worship,  as  we  have  before  shewn.  But  God,  to 
assert  his  own  right,  proclaims  that  he  is  "jealous,"  and  will 
be  a  severe  avenger,  if  men  confound  him  with  any  fictitious 
deity;  and  then,  to  retain  mankind  in  obedience,  he  defines 
his  legitimate  worship.  He  comprises  both  in  his  law,  where 
he  first  binds  the  faithful  to  himself,  as  their  sole  legislator;  and 
then  prescribes  a  rule  for  the  right  worship  of  him  according  to 
his  will.  Now  of  the  law,  since  the  uses  and  ends  of  it  are  vari- 
ous, I  shall  treat  in  its  proper  place:  at  present,  I  only  remark, 
that  it  sets  up  a  barrier  to  prevent  men  turning  aside  to  corrupt 
modes  of  worship.  Let  us  remember,  what  I  have  already- 
stated,  that  unless  every  thing  belonging  to  Divinity  remain  in 
God  alone,  he  is  spoiled  of  his  honour,  and  his  worship  is 
violated.  And  here  it  is  necessary  to  animadvert  more  parti- 
cularly on  the  subtle  fallacies  of  superstition.  For  it  revolts 
not  to  strange  gods,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  appear  to  desert 
the  supreme  God,  or  to  degrade  him  to  a  level  with  others; 
but,  allowing  him  the  highest  place,  it  surrounds  him  with  a 
multitude  of  inferior  deities,  among  whom  it  distributes  his 
honours:  and  thus,  in  a  cunning  and  hypocritical  manner, 
the  glory  of  Divinity  is  divided  among  many,  instead  of  re-  * 
maining  wholly  in  one.  Thus  the  ancient  idolaters,  Jews  as 
well  as  Gentiles,  imagined  one  God,  the  Father  and  Governor 
of  all,  and  subordinate  to  him  a  vast  multitude  of  other  deities; 
to  whom,  in  common  with  the  supreme  God,  they  attributed 
the  government  of  heaven  and  earth.  Thus  the  saints,  who 
departed  out  of  this  life,  some  ages  ago,  are  exalted  to  the 
society  of  God,  to  be  worshipped,  and  invoked,  and  celebrated 
like  him.  We  suppose,  indeed,  the  glory  of  God  not  to  be 
sullied  with  this  abomination;  whereas  it  is,  in  a  great  measure, 
suppressed  and  extinguished,  except  that  we  retain  some  faint 
notion  of  his  supreme  power;  but,  at  the  same  time,  deceived 


126  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

with  such  impostures,  we  are  seduced  to  the  worship  of  various 
deities. 

II.  On  this  account  was  invented  the  distinction  of  A«rgi<a 
and    3*An«,  as   they  express  themselves,  by  which  they    con- 
ceived they  might  safely  ascribe  divine  honours  to  angels  and 
deceased    men.    For  it  is    evident,   that   the   worship    which 
papists  pay  to  the  saints,  differs  not  in  reality  from  the  wor- 
ship   of  God;  for  they  adore  God  and  them  promiscuously; 
but  when  they  are  accused  of  it,  they  evade  the  charge,  with 
this  subterfuge,  that  they  preserve  inviolate  to  God  what  be- 
longs to  him,  because  they  leave  him  A<tTgi«».  But  since  the 
question  relates  to  a  thing,  not  to  a  word,  who  can  bear  their 
careless  trifling  on  the  most  important  of  all  subjects?  But,  to 
pass  this  also,  they  will  gain  nothing  at  last  by  their  distinction, 
but  that  they  render  worship  to  God  alone,  and  service  to  the 
saints.  For  A«T{S<«,  in  Greek,  signifies  the  same  as  cultus  in 
Latin,    and  worship  in  English;  but  3»Ai;*  properly  signifies 
servitus,  service:  and  yet,  in  the  Scriptures,  this  distinction  is 
sometimes  disregarded.   But,  suppose  it  to  be  a  constant  dis- 
tinction, it  remains  to  be  inquired,  what  is  the  meaning  of  each 
term.    A*T{«»«    is    worship;    J»Ae«*    is    service.     Now,    no    one 
doubts,  that  to  serve,   is   more  than  to  worship  or  honour.  For 
it  would  be  irksome  to  serve  many  persons,  whom  you  would 
not  refuse  to  honour.  So  unjust  is  the  distribution,  to  assign 
the  greater  to  the  saints,  and  leave  to  God  that  which  is  less. 
But  many  of  the  ancients,  it  is  urged,  have  used  this  distinction. 
What  is  that  to  the  purpose,  if  every  one  perceives  it  to  be, 
not  only  improper,  but  altogether  frivolous? 

III.  Leaving  these    subtleties,  let  us  consider  the  subject 
itself.    Paul,  when  he  reminds   the  Galatians  what  they  had 
been  before  they  were  illuminated  in  the  knowledge  of  God, 
says,  that  they  "  did  service  to  them  which  by  nature  were  no 
gods."  (y)  Though  he  mentions  not  A«T$I<*  (worship),  is  their 
idolatry    therefore     excusable?     he    certainly    condemns     that 
perverse   superstition,  which  he  denominates  3»A««  (service), 
equally  as  much  as  if  he  had  used  the  word  A<*Tg«i*  (worship). 
And  when  Christ  rjpels  the  assault  of  Satan  with  this  shield, 

(/)  Gal  iv.  8. 


CHAP,  xii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  127 

"It  is  written,  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God,"  (_§•)  the 
word  A«T££«*  came  not  into  the  question.  For  Satan  required 
nothing  but  irpvx.v »»«•<?  (prostration,  or  adoration).  So,  when 
John  is  reprehended  by  an  angel,  for  having  fallen  on  his 
knees  before  him,  (A)  we  must  not  understand  that  John  was 
so  stupid  as  to  intend  to  transfer  to  an  angel  the  honour  due 
exclusively  to  God.  But  since  all  worship,  that  is  connected 
with  religion,  cannot  but  savour  of  Divine,  he  could  not 
(a-ge<rxvrf<»)  prostrate  himself  before  the  angel,  without  de- 
tracting from  the  glory  of  God.  We  read,  indeed,  frequently, 
of  men  having  been  worshipped;  but  that  was  civil  honour,  so 
to  speak;  religion  has  a  different  design:  and,  no  sooner  is 
religion  connected  with  worship,  or  homage,  than  it  produces 
a  profanation  of  the  Divine  honour.  We  may  see  the  same 
in  Cornelius,  who  had  not  made  such  a  small  progress  in  piety, 
as  not  to  ascribe  supreme  worship  to  God  alone.  When  he 
"  fell  down"  before  Peter,  therefore,  it  certainly  was  not 
with  an  intention  of  worshipping  him  instead  of  God:  (z)  yet 
Peter  positively  forbade  him  to  do  it.  And  why  was  this,  but 
because  men  never  so  particularly  distinguish  between  the  wor- 
ship or  homage  of  God,  and  that  of  the  creatures,  as  to  avoid 
transferring  to  a  creature,  what  belongs  exclusively  to  God? 
Wherefore,  if  we  desire  to  have  but  one  God,  let  us  remem- 
ber, that  his  glory  ought  not,  in  the  least,  to  be  diminished; 
but  that  he  must  retain  all  that  belongs  to  him.  Therefore, 
Zechariah,  when  speaking  of  the  restoration  of  the  Church, 
expressly  declares,  not  only  that  "  there  shall  be  one  Lord," 
but  also,  u  that  his  name  shall  be  one;"  (^)  signifying,  without 
doubt,  that  he  will  have  nothing  in  common  with  idols.  Now 
what  kind  of  worship  God  requires,  will  be  seen,  in  due  course, 
in  another  place.  For  he  hath  been  pleased,  in  his  law,  to 
prescribe  to  mankind  what  is  lawful  and  right;  and  so  to  con- 
fine them  to  a  certain  rule,  that  every  individual  might  not 
take  the  liberty  of  inventing  a  mode  of  worship  according  to 
his  own  fancy.  But,  since  it  is  not  proper  to  burden  the 
reader,  by  confounding  many  subjects  together,  I  shall  not 
enter  on  that  point  yet;  let  it  suffice  to  know,  that  no  religious 

fc)  Mat  iv.  10.  (A)  Rev.  xix.  10.  xxii.  8,  9. 

(0  Acts  x.  25.  (>)  Zech.  xiv.  9. 


128  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  r. 

services  can  be  transferred  to  any  other  than  God  alone,  with- 
out committing  sacrilege.  At  first,  indeed,  superstition  ascribed 
Divine  honours,  either  to  the  sun,  or  to  the  other  stars,  or  to 
idols.  Afterwards  followed  ambition;  which,  adorning  men 
with  the  spoils  of  God,  dared  to  profane  every  thing  that  was 
sacred.  And  although  there  remained  a  persuasion,  that  thev 
ought  to  worship  a  supreme  God,  yet  it  became  customary  to 
offer  sacrifices  promiscuously  to  genii,  and  inferior  deities,  and 
deceased  heroes.  So  steep  is  the  descent  to  this  vice,  to  com- 
municate to  a  vast  multitude  that  which  God  particularly 
challenges  to  himself  alone. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

One  Divine  Essence,  containing  Three  Persons,  taught  in  the 
Scriptures  from  the  Beginning. 

W  HAT  is  taught  in  the  Scriptures  concerning  the  immensity 
and  spirituality  of  the  essence  of  God,  should  serve  not  only 

J  -  ~.~J!h  * 

to  overthrow  the  foolish  notions  of  the  vulgar,  but  also  to  refute 
the  subtleties  of  profane  philosophy.  One  of  the  ancients,  (/) 
in  his  own  conception  very  shrewdly,  said,  that  whatever  we 
see,  and  whatever  we  do  not  see,  is  God.  But  he  imagined  that 
the  Deity  was  diffused  through  every  part  of  the  world.  But, 
although  God,  to  keep  us  within  the  bounds  of  sobriety,  speaks 
but  rarely  of  his  essence;  yet,  by  those  two  attributes,  which  I 
have  mentioned,  he  supersedes  all  gross  imaginations,  and  re- 
presses the  presumption  of  the  human  mind.  For,  surely,  his  im- 
mensity ought  to  inspire  us  with  awe,  that  we  may  not  attempt 
to  measure  him  with  our  senses:  and  the  spirituality  of  his  nature 
prohibits  us  from  entertaining  any  earthly  or  carnal  specula- 
tions concerning  him.  For  the  same  reason,  he  represents  his 
residence  to  be  "  in  heaven:"  for  though,  as  he  is  incompre- 
hensible, he  filleth  the  earth  also;  yet,  seeing  that  our  minds, 
from  their  dulness,  are  continually  dwelling  on  the  earth,  in 

(0  Seneca,  Prxf.  lib.  1.  Qjixst.  Nat. 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  129 

order  to  shake  off  our  sloth  and  inactivity,  he  properly  raises 
us  above  the  world.  And  here  is  demolished  the  error  of  the 
Manichees;  who,  by  maintaining  the  existence  of  two  original 
principles,  made  the  devil,  as  it  were,  equal  to  God.  This 
certainly  was  both  dividing  the  unity  of  God,  and  limiting  his 
immensity.  For  their  daring  to  abuse  certain  testimonies  of 
Scripture  betrayed  a  shameful  ignorance;  as  the  error  itself  evi- 
denced an  execrable  madness.  The  Anthropomorphites  also, 
who  imagined  God  to  be  corporeal,  because  the  Scripture  fre- 
quently ascribes  to  him  a  mouth,  ears,  eyes,  hands,  and  feet,  are 
easily  refuted.  For  who,  even  of  the  meanest  capacity,  under- 
stands not,  that  God  lisps,  as  it  were,  with  us,  just  as  nurses  are 
accustomed  to  speak  to  infants?  Wherefore,  such  forms  of 
expression  do  not  clearly  explain  the  nature  of  God,  but 
accommodate  the  knowledge  of  him  to  our  narrow  capacity: 
to  accomplish  which,  the  Scripture  must  necessarily  descend 
far  below  the  height  of  his  majesty. 

II.  But  he  also  designates  himself  by  another  peculiar 
character,  by  which  he  may  be  yet  more  clearly  distinguished: 
for,  while  he  declares  himself  to  be  but  One,  he  proposes  him- 
self to  be  distinctly  considered  in  Three  Persons,  without  appre- 
hending which,  we  have  only  a  bare  and  empty  name  of  God 
floating  in  our  brains,  without  any  idea  of  the  true  God.  Now, 
that  no  one  may  vainly  dream  of  three  gods,  or  suppose  that 
the  simple  essence  of  God  is  divided  among  the  three  Persons, 
we  must  seek  for  a  short  and  easy  definition,  which  will  pre- 
serve us  from  all  error.  But  since  some  violently  abject  to  the 
word  Person,  as  of  human  invention,  we  must  first  examine 
the  reasonableness  of  this  objection.  When  the  Apostle  de- 
nominates the  Son  the  express  image  of  the  hypostasis  of  the 
Father,  he  undoubtedly  ascribes  to  the  Father  some  subsist- 
ence, in  which  he  differs  from  the  Son.  For,  to  understand 
this  word  as  synonimous  with  Essence,  (as  some  interpreters 
have  done,  as  though  Christ,  like  wax  impressed  with  a  seal, 
represented  in  himself  the  substance  of  the  Father,)  were  not 
only  harsh,  but  also  absurd.  For  the  essence  of  God  being 
simple  and  indivisible,  he,  who  contains  all  in  himself,  not  in 
part,  or  by  derivation,  but  in  complete  perfection,  could  not, 
without  impropriety,  and  even  absurdity,  be*  called  the  expr«ss 

VOL.  I.  R 


130  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

image  of  it.  But  since  the  Father,  although  distinguished  by 
his  own  peculiar  property,  hath  expressed  himself  entirely  in 
his  Son,  it  is  with  the  greatest  reason  asserted  that  he  hath 
made  his  hypostasis  conspicuous  in  him;  with  which  the  other 
appellation,  given  him  in  the  same  passage,  of  "  the  brightness 
of  his  glory,"  exactly  corresponds.  From  the  words  of  the 
Apostle,  we  certainly  conclude,  that  there  is  in  the  Father  a 
proper  hypostasis,  which  is  conspicuous  in  the  Son.  And 
thence  also  we  easily  infer  the  hypostasis  of  the  Son,  which 
distinguishes  him  from  the  Father.  The  same  reasoning  is 
applicable  to  the  Holy  Spirit:  for  we  shall  soon  prove  him 
also  to  be  God;  and  yet  he  must,  of  necessity,  be  considered 
as  distinct  from  the  Father.  But  this  is  not  a  distinction  of 
the  essence,  which  it  is  unlawful  to  represent  as  any  other  than 
simple  and  undivided.  It  follows,  therefore,  if  the  testimony 
of  the  Apostle  be  credited,  that  there  are  in  God  three  hypos- 
tases.  And,  as  the  Latins  have  expressed  the  same  thing  by 
*7  '  the  word  person,  it  is  too  fastidious  and  obstinate  to  contend 
about  so  clear  a  matter.  If  we  wish  to  translate  word  for 
word,  we  may  call  it  subsistence.  Many,  in  the  same  sense, 
have  called  it  substance.  Nor  has  the  word  person  been  used 
by  the  Latins  only;  but  the  Greeks  also,  for  the  sake  of  testi- 
fying their  consent  to  this  doctrine,  taught  the  existence  of 
three  •x^wuira.  (persons)  in  God.  But  both  Greeks  and  Latins, 
notwithstanding  any  verbal  difference,  are  in  perfect  harmon} 
respecting  the  doctrine  itself. 

III.  Now,  though  heretics  rail  at  the  word  person,  or  some 
morose  and  obstinate  men  clamorously  refuse  to  admit  a  name 
of  human  invention;  since  they  cannot  make  us  assert  that 
there  are  three,  each  of  whom  is  entirely  God,  nor  yet  that 
there  are  more  gods  than  one,  how  very  unreasonable  is  it 
to  reprobate  words  which  express  nothing  but  what  is  testified 
and  recorded  in  the  Scriptures?  It  were  better,  say  they,  to 
restrain,  not  only  our  thoughts,  but  our  expressions  also, 
within  the  limits  of  the  Scripture,  than  to  introduce  exotic 
words,  which  may  generate  future  dissensions  and  disputes: 
for  thus  we  weary  ourselves  with  verbal  controversies;  thus 
the  truth  is  lost  in  altercation;  thus  charity  expires  in  odious 
contention.  If  they  call  every  word  exotic,  which  cannot  be 


CHAP,  xiii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  131 

found  in  the  Scriptures  in  so  many  syllables,  they  impose  on 
us  a  law  which  is  very  unreasonable,  and  which  condemns  all 
interpretation,  but  what  is  composed  of  detached-  texts  of 
Scripture  connected  together.  But  if  by  exotic  they  mean 
that  which  is  curiously  contrived,  and  superstitiously  defended, 
which  tends  to  contention  more  than  to  edification,  the  use  of 
which  is  either  unseasonable  or  unprofitable,  which  offends 
pious  ears  with  its  harshness,  and  seduces  persons  from  the 
simplicity  of  the  Divine  word;  I  most  cordially  embrace  their 
modest  opinion.  For  I  think  that  we  ought  to  speak  of  God 
with  the  same  religious  caution,  which  should  govern  our 
thoughts  of  him:  since  all  the  thoughts  that  we  entertain 
concerning  him  merely  from  ourselves,  are  foolish,  and  all 
our  expressions  absurd.  But  there  is  a  proper  medium  to  be 
observed:  we  should  seek  in  the  Scriptures  a  certain  rule,  both 
for  thinking,  and  for  speaking;  by  which  we  may  regulate  all 
the  thoughts  of  our  minds,  and  all  the  words  of  our  mouths. 
But  what  forbids  our  expressing,  in  plainer  words,  those  things 
which,  in  the  Scriptures,  are,  to  our  understanding,  intricate 
and  obscure,  provided  our  expressions  religiously  and  faith- 
fully convey  the  true  sense  of  the  Scripture,  and  are  used  with 
modest  caution,  and  not  without  sufficient  occasion?  Of  this, 
examples  sufficiently  numerous  are  not  wanting.  But,  when 
it  shall  have  been  proved,  that  the  Church  was  absolutely 
necessitated  to  use  the  terms  Trinity  and  Persons,  if  any  one 
then  censures  the  novelty  of  the  words,  may  he  not  be  justly 
considered  as  offended  at  the  light  of  the  truth?  as  having  no 
other  cause  of  censure,  but  that  the  truth  is  explained  and 
elucidated? 

IV.  But  such  verbal  novelty  (if  it  must  have  this  appellation) 
is  principally  used,  when  the  truth  is  to  be  asserted  in  opposi- 
tion to  malicious  cavillers,  who  elude  it  by  crafty  evasions;  of 
which  we  have  too  much  experience  in  the  present  day,  who  find 
great  difficulty  in  refuting  the  enemies  of  pure  and  sound 
doctrine:  possessed  of  serpentine  lubricity,  they  escape  by  the 
most  artful  expedients,  unless  they  are  vigorously  pursued,  and 
held  fast  when  once  caught.  Thus  the  ancients,  pestered  with 
various  controversies  against  erroneous  dogmas,  were  con- 
strained to  express  their  sentiments  with  the  utmost  perspicuity, 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

that  they  might  leave  no  subterfuges  to  the  impious,  who 
availed  themselves  of  obscure  expressions,  for  the  concealment 
of  their  errors.  Unable  to  resist  the  clear  testimonies  of  the 
Scriptures,  Arius  confessed  Christ  to  be  God,  and  the  Son  of 
God:  and,  as  though  this  were  all  that  was  necessary,  he 
pretended  to  agree  with  the  Church  at  large.  But,  at  the 
same  time,  he  continued  to  maintain,  that  Christ  was  created, 
and  had  a  beginning  like  other  creatures.  To  draw  the  ver- 
satile subtlety  of  this  man  from  its  concealment,  the  ancient 
fathers  proceeded  farther,  and  declared  Christ  to  be  the  eternal 
Son  of  the  Father,  and  consubstantial  with  the  Father.  Here 
impiety  openly  discovered  itself,  when  the  Arians  began  inve- 
terately  to  hate  and  execrate  the  name  »/*«««•*<»?  (consubstantial). 
But  if,  in  the  first  instance,  they  had  sincerely  and  cordially 
confessed  Christ  to  be  God,  they  would  not  have  denied  him 
to  be  consubstantial  with  the  Father.  Who  can  dare  to  censure 
those  good  men,  as  quarrelsome  and  contentious,  for  having 
kindled  such  a  flame  of  controversy,  and  disturbed  the  peace 
of  the  Church  on  account  of  one  little  word?  That  little  word 
distinguished  Christians,  who  held  the  pure  faith,  from  sacri- 
legious Arians.  Afterwards  arose  Sabellius,  who  considered 
the  names  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  as  little  more  than 
empty  sounds;  arguing,  that  they  were  not  used  on  account  of 
any  real  distinction,  but  were  different  attributes  of  God,  whose 
attributes  of  this  kind  are  numerous.  If  the  point  came  to  be 
controverted,  he  confessed,  that  he  believed  the  Father  to  be 
God,  the  Son  God,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  God:  but  he  would 
readily  evade  all  the  force  of  this  confession,  by  adding,  that 
he  had  said  no  other  than  if  he  had  called  God  potent,  and 
just,  and  wise.  And  thus  he  came  to  another  conclusion,  that 
the  Father  is  the  Son,  and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  Father, 
without  any  order  or  distinction.  The  good  doctors  of  that 
age,  who  had  the  interest  of  religion  at  heart,  in  order  to  coun- 
teract the  wickedness  of  this  man,  maintained,  on  the  contrary, 
that  they  ought  really  to  acknowledge  three  peculiar  pro- 
perties in  one  God.  And,  to  defend  themselves  against  his  in- 
tricate subtleties,  by  the  plain  and  simple  truth,  they  affirmed, 
that  they  truly  subsisted  in  the  one  God;  or,  what  is  the  same, 
that,  in  the  unity  of  God,  there  subsisted  a  trinity  of  Perspns. 


CHAP,  xiii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  13*3 

V.  If,  then,  the  words  have  not  been  rashly  invented,  we 
should  beware  lest  we  be  convicted  of  fastidious  temerity  in 
rejecting  them.  I   could  wish    them  indeed  to  be    buried  in 
oblivion,  provided  this  faith  were  universally  received,  that  the 
Father,    Son,    and    Holy    Spirit   are  the    one   God:  and  that 
nevertheless  the  Son  is  not  the  Father,  nor  the  Spirit  the  Son, 
but  that  they  are  distinguished  from  each  other  by  some  pecu- 
liar property.  I  am  not  so  rigidly  precise  as  to  be  fond  of 
contending  for  mere  words.    For  I  observe,  that  the  ancients, 
who  otherwise  speak  on  these  subjects  with  great  piety,  are  not 
consistent  with  each  other,  nor,  in  all  cases,  with  themselves. 
For  what  forms  of  expression,  adopted  by  councils,  does  Hilary 
excuse?  To  what  extremes  does  Augustine   sometimes  pro- 
ceed?   How    different    are   the  Greeks  from  the  Latins?   But 
of  this  variation,  let   one  example    suffice:  when  the  Latins 
would  translate  the  word  «*«<««r<«5,  they  called  it  consubstantial^ 
signifying  the  substance  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  to  be 
one,  and  thus  using  substance  for  essence.  Whence  also  Jerome, 
writing  to  Damasas,  pronounces  it  to  be  sacrilege  to  say  that 
there  are  three  substances  in  God.  Yet,  that  there  are  three 
substances  in  God,  you  will  find  asserted  in  Hilary,  more  than 
a  hundred  times.    But  how  perplexed  is  Jerome  on  the  word 
hypostasis?  For  he  suspects  some  latent  poison  in  the  asser- 
tion, that  there  are  three  hypostases  in  God.  And  if  any  one 
uses  this  word  in  a  pious  sense,  he  refrains  not  from  calling 
it  an  improper  expression;  if,  indeed,  he  was  sincere  in  this 
declaration,    and  did   not  rather  knowingly  and  wilfully  en- 
deavour to  asperse  the  bishops  of  the  East,  whom  he  hated, 
with  a  groundless  calumny.   He  certainly  discovers  not  much 
ingenuousness  in  affirming,  that  in  all  the  profane  schools,  *<n« 
(essence)  is  the  same  as  viro?ct<ns  (hypostasis),  which  the  trite 
and  common  use  of  the  words  universally  contradicts.   More 
modesty    and   liberality    are  discovered  by  Augustine;  who, 
though  he  asserts  that  the  hypostasis,  in  this  sense,  is  new  to 
Latin  ears,  yet  leaves  the  Greeks  their  usual  phraseology,  and 
even  peaceably  tolerates  the  Latins,  who  had  imitated  their 
language:  and  the  account  of  Socrates,  in  the  sixth  book  of 
his  Tripartite  History,  seems  to  imply,  that  it  was  by  ignorant 
men  th^t  it  had  first  been  improperly  applied  to  this  subject. 


1J4  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  .    [BOOK  i. 

The  same  Hilary  accuses  the  heretics  of  a  great  crime,  in 
constraining  him,  by  their  wickedness,  to  expose  to  the  danger 
of  human  language,  those  things  which  ought  to  be  confined 
within  the  religion  of  the  mind;  plainly  avowing,  that  this  is 
to  do  things  unlawful,  to  express  things  inexpressible,  to 
assume  things  not  conceded.  A  little  after,  he  largely  excuses 
himself  for  his  boldness  in  bringing  forward  new  terms;  for 
when  he  has  used  the  names  of  nature,  Father,  Son,  and 
Spirit;  he  immediately  adds,  that  whatever  is  sought  farther, 
is  beyond  the  signification  of  language,  beyond  the  reach  of 
our  senses,  beyond  the  conception  of  our  understanding.  And., 
in  another  place,  he  pronounces,  that  happy  were  the  bishops 
of  Gaul,  who  had  neither  composed,  nor  received,  nor  even 
known,  any  other  confession  but  that  ancient  and  very  simple 
one,  which  had  been  received  in  all  the  churches  from  the 
days  of  the  Apostles.  Very  similar  is  the  excuse  of  Augustine, 
that  this  word  was  extorted  by  necessity,. on  account  of  the 
poverty  of  human  language  on  so  great  a  subject,  not  for  the 
sake  of  expressing  what  God  is,  but  to  avoid  passing  it  over  in 
total  silence,  that  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit  are  three.  This 
moderation  of  those  holy  men  should  teach  us,  not  to  pass  such 
severe  censures  on  those  who  are  unwilling  to  subscribe  to 
expressions  adopted  by  us:  provided  they  are  not  actuated  by 
pride,  perverseness,  or  disingenuous  subtlety.  But  let  them 
also,  on  the  other  hand,  consider  the  great  necessity  which 
constrains  us  to  use  such  language,  that,  by  degrees,  they  may 
at  length  be  accustomed  to  an  useful  phraseology.  Let  them 
also  learn  to  beware,  since  we  have  to  oppose  the  Arians  on 
one  side,  and  the  Sabellians  on  the  other,  lest  while  they  take 
offence  at  both  these  parties  being  deprived  of  all  opportunity 
of  evasion,  they  cause  some  suspicion  that  they  are  themselves 
the  disciples  either  of  Arius,  or  of  Sabellius.  Arius  confessesj 
"that  Christ  is  God;"  but  maintains  also,  "  that  he  was  created, 
and  had  a  beginning."  He  acknowledges  that  Christ  is  "one 
with  the  Father;"  but  secretly  whispers,  in  the  ears  of  his 
disciples,  that  he  is  "  united  to  him,"  like  the  rest  of  the 
faithful,  taough  by  a  singular  privilege.  Say  that  he  is  con- 
substantial,  you  tear  off  the  mask  from  the  hypocrite,  and 
^et  you  add  nothing  to  the  Scriptures.  Sabellius  asserts,  "that 


CHAP,  xiii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  135 

/J  I  —-t  '• 

£L  «  Ajf  ^jflfyv-^-vc*^ 

the  names  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  are  expressive  of  no  dis- 
tinction in  the  Godhead."  Say  that  they  are  three,  and  he 
will  exclaim,  that  you  are  talking  of  "  three  gods."  Say 
"  that  in  the  one  essence  of  God  there  is  a  trinity  of  Persons;v 
and  you  will  at  once  express  what  the  Scriptures  declare, 
and  will  restrain  such  frivolous  loquacity.  Now,  if  any  persons 
are  perverted,  by  such  excessive  scrupulousness,  from  admitting 
these  terms;  yet  not  one  of  them  can  deny,  that,  when  the 
Scripture  speaks  of  one  God,  it  should  be  understood  of  an 
unity  of  substance;  and  that,  when  it  speaks  of  three  in  one 
essence,  it  denotes  the  Persons  in  this  trinity.  When  this  is 
honestly  confessed,  we  have  no  farther  concern  about  words, 
But  I  have  found,  by  long  and  frequent  experience,  that  those 
who  pertinaciously  contend  about  words,  cherish  some  latent 
poison:  so  that  it  were  better,  designedly  to  provoke  their 
resentment,  than  to  use  obscure  language  for  the  sake  of  ob- 
taining their  favour. 

VI.  But,  leaving  the  dispute  about  terms,  I  shall  now  enter 
on  the  discussion  of  the  subject  itself.  What  I  denominate  a 
Person,  is  a  subsistence  in  the  Divine  essence,  which  is  related 
to  the  others,  and  yet  distinguished  from  them  by  an  incom- 
municable property.  By  the  word  subsistence  we  mean  some- 
thing different  from  the  word  essence.  For  if  the  Word  were 
simply  God,  and  had  no  peculiar  property,  John  had  been 
guilty  of  impropriety  in  saying  that  he  was  always  wit/I  God.  (/) 
When  he  immediately  adds,  that  the  Word  also  was  God,  he 
reminds  us  of  the  unity  of  the  essence.  But  because  he 
could  not  be  with  God,  without  subsisting  in  the  Father,  hence 
arises  that  subsistence,  which,  although  inseparably  connected 
with  the  essence,  has  a  peculiar  mark,  by  which  it  is  dis- 
tinguished from  it.  Now  I  say,  that  each  of  the  three  sub- 
sistences has  a  relation  to  the  others,  but  is  distinguished 
from  them  by  a  peculiar  property.  We  particularly  use  the 
word  relation,  or  comparison,  here,  because,  when  mention  is 
made  simply  and  indefinitely  of  God,  this  name  pertains  no 
less  to  the  Son  and  Spirit,  than  to  the  Father.  But  when- 
ever the  Father  is  compared  with  the  Son,  the  property 

(0  Johni.  1. 


136  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

peculiar  to  each  distinguishes  him  from  the  other.  Thirdly, 
whatever  is  proper  to  each  of  them,  I  assert  to  be'  incommuni- 
cable, because  whatever  is  ascribed  to  the  Father  as  a  character 
of  distinction,  cannot  be  applied  or  transferred  to  the  Son. 
Nor  indeed  do  I  disapprove  of  the  definition  of  Tertullian,  it 
rightly  understood:  "  That  there  is  in  God  a  certain  distribu- 
tion or  economy,  which  makes  no  change  in  the  unity  of  the 
essence." 

VII.  But  before  I  proceed  any  farther,  I  nxust  prove  the 
Deity  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  after  which,  we  shall 
see  how  they  differ  from  each  other.  When  the  Scripture 
speaks  of  the  Word  of  God^  it  certainly  were  very  absurd  tQ 
imagine  it  to  be  only  a  transient  and  momentary  sound, 
emitted  into  the  air,  and  coming  forth  from  God  himself:  of 
which  nature  were  the  oracles  given  to  the  fathers,  and  all  the 
prophecies.  It  is  rather  to  be  understood  of  the  eternal  wisdom 
residing  in  God,  whence  the  oracles,  and  all  the  prophecies,  pro- 
ceeded. For,  according  to  the  testimony  of  Peter,  (m)  the  an- 
cient Prophets  spake  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  no  less  than  the 
Apostles,  and  all  the  succeeding  ministers  of  the  heavenly  doc- 
trine. But  as  Christ  had  not  yet  been  manifested,  we  must 
necessarily  understand  that  the  Word  was  begotten  of  the 
Father  before  the  world  began.  And  if  the  Spirit  that  inspired 
the  Prophets  was  the  Spirit  of  the  Word,  we  conclude,  be- 
yond all  doubt,  that  the  Word  was  truly  God.  And  this  is 
taught  by  Moses,  with  sufficient  perspicuity,  in  the  creation  of 
the  world,  in  which  he  represents  the  word  as  acting  such  a 
conspicuous  part.  For  why  does  he  relate  that  God,  in  the 
creation  of  each  of  his  works,  said,  Let  this  or  that  be  done, 
but  that  the  unsearchable  glory  of  God  may  resplendently 
appear  in  his  image?  Captious  and  loquacious  men  would 
readily  evade  his  argument,  by  saying,  that  the  Word  imports 
an  order  or  command:  but  the  Apostles  are  better  interpreters, 
who  declare,  that  the  worlds  were  created  by  the  Son,  and  that 
he  "  upholds  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power."  (w)  For 
here  we  see  that  the  Word  intends  the  nod  or  mandate  of  the 
Son,  who  is  himself  the  eternal  and  essential  Son  of  the 

Cm)  1  Peter  i.  11.  (n)  Heb.  i,  2,  a 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  137 

Father.  Nor,  to  the  wise  and  sober,  is  there  any  obscurity  in 
that  passage  of  Solomon,  where  he  introduces  Wisdom  as 
begotten  of  the  Father  before  time  began,  and  presiding  at 
the  creation  of  the  world,  and  over  all  the  works  of  God.  For, 
to  pretend  that  this  denotes  some  temporary  expression  of  the 
will  of  God,  were  foolish  and  frivolous;  whereas  God  then 
intended  to  discover  his  fixed  and  eternal  counsel,  and  even 
something  more  secret.  To  the  same  purpose  also  is  that  asser- 
tion of  Christ,  "  My  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  I  work."(o) 
For,  by  affirming,  that,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  he 
had  continually  co-operated  with  the  Father,  he  makes  a  more 
explicit  declaration  of  what  had  been  briefly  glanced  at  by 
Moses.  We  conclude,  therefore,  that  God  spake  thus  at  the 
creation,  that  the  Word  might  have  his  part  in  the  work,  and 
so  that  operation  be  common  to  both.  But  John  speaks  more 
clearly  than  all  others,  when  he  represents  the  Word,  who 
from  the  beginning  ivas  God  -with  God,  as  in  union  with  the 
Father,  the  original  cause  of  all  things.  For,  to  the  Word  he 
both  attributes  a  real  and  permanent  essence,  and  assigns  some 
peculiar  property;  and  plainly  shews  how  God,  by  speaking, 
created  the  world.  Therefore,  as  all  Divine  revelations  are 
justly  entitled  the  Word  of  God,  so  we  ought  chiefly  to  esteem 
that  substantial  Word,  the  source  of  all  revelations,  who  is 
liable  to  no  variation,  who  remains  with  God  perpetually  one 
and  the  same,  and  who  is  God  himself. 

VIII.  Here  we  are  interrupted  by  some  clamorous  ob- 
jectors, who,  since  they  cannot  openly  rob  him  of  his  divinity, 
secretly  steal  from  him  his  eternity.  For  they  say,  that  the 
Word  only  began  to  exist,  when  God  opened  his  sacred 
mouth  in  the  creation  of  the  world.  But  they  are  too  incon- 
siderate in  imagining  something  new  in  the  substance  of  God. 
For,  as  those  names  of  God,  which  relate  to  his  external  works, 
began  to  be  ascribed  to  him  after  the  existence  of  those  works, 
as  when  he  is  called  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth;  so  piety 
neither  acknowledges  nor  admits  any  name,  signifying  that 
God  has  found  any  thing  new  to  happen  to  himself.  For, 
could  any  thing,  from  any  quarter,  effect  a  change  in  him, 

Co)  John  v.  17. 

VOL.  I.  S 


.38  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

it  would  contradict  the  assertion  of  James,  that  "  every 
good  gift  and  every  perfect  gift  is  from  above,  and  cometh 
down  from  the  Father  of  lights,  with  whom  is  no  vari- 
ableness or  shadow  of  turning."  (/»)  Nothing  then  is  more 
intolerable,  than  to  suppose  a  beginning  of  that  Word,  which 
was  always  God,  and  afterwards  the  Creator  of  the  world.  But 
they  argue,  in  their  own  apprehension  most  acutely,  that 
Moses,  by  representing  God  as  having  then  spoken  for  the 
first  time,  implies  also,  that  there  was  no  Word  in  him  before: 
than  which  nothing  is  more  absurd.  For  it  is  not  to  be  con- 
cluded, because  any  thing  begins  to  be  manifested  at  a  certain 
time,  that  it  had  no  prior  existence.  I  form  a  very  different 
conclusion;  that,  since  in  the  very  instant  when  God  said, 
"  Let  there  be  light,"  (^)  the  power  of  the  Word  was  clearly 
manifested,  the  Word  must  have  existed  long  before.  But  if 
any  one  inquires,  how  long,  he  will  find  no  beginning.  For 
he  limits  no  certain  period  of  time,  when  he  himself  says,  "  O 
Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  self,  with  the  glory 
ivhich  I  had  with  thee  before  the  world  was."  (r)  Nor  is  this 
omitted  by  John;  for  before  he  descends  to  the  creation  of  the 
world,  he  declares,  that  the  Word  "  was  in  the  beginning  with 
God."  (.?)  yWe  therefore  conclude  again,  that  the  Word,  con- 
ceived of  God  before  time  began,  perpetually  remained  with 
him,  which  proves  his  eternity,  his  true  essence,  and  his 
divinity.  [ 

IX.  Though  I  advert  not  yet  to  the  person  of  the  Mediator, 
but  defer  it  to  that  part  of  the  work  which  will  relate  to  re- 
demption; yet  since  it  ought,  without  controversy,  to  be  be- 
lieved by  all,  that  Christ  is  the  very  same  Word  clothed  in 
flesh,  any  testimonies,  which  assert  the  Deity  of  Christ,  will  be 
very  properly  introduced^here.  When  it  is  said,  in  the  forty- 
fifth  Psalm,  u  Thy  throne,  O  God,  is  for  ever  and  ever,"  the 
Jews  endeavour  to  evade  its  force,  by  pleading  that  the  name 
Elohim  is  applicable  also  to  angels,  and  to  men  of  dignity  and 
power.  But  there  cannot  be  found  in  the  Scripture  a  similar 
passage,  which  erects  an  eternal  throne  for  a  creature;  for  he 
is  not  merely  called  God,  but  is  also  declared  to  possess  an 

(/•)  James  i.  17.  (?)  Gen.  i.  3. 

,  •)  John  xvii.  5.  (*)  John  i.  2. 


CHAP,  xiii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  139 

eternal  dominion.  Besides,  this  title  is  never  given  to  a  crea- 
ture, without  some  addition,  as  when  it  is  said  that  Moses 
should  be  "a  God  to  Pharaoh."  (£)  Some  read  it  in  the 
genitive*  case,  "  Thy  throne  is  of  God,"  which  is  extremely  in- 
sipid. I  confess,  indeed,  that  what  is  eminently  and  singularly 
excellent,  is  frequently  called  Divine:  but  it  sufficiently  appears 
from  the  context,  that  such  a  meaning  would  be  uncouth  and 
forced,  and  totally  inapplicable  here.  But  if  their  perverse- 
ness  refuse  to  yield  this  point,  there  certainly  is  no  obscurity 
in  Isaiah,  where  he  introduces  Christ  as  God,  and  as  crowned 
with  supreme  power,  which  is  the  prerogative  of  God  alone. 
"  His  name,"  says  he,  "  shall  be  'called  the  Mighty  God,  the 
Father  of  eternity,"  &c.  (t>)  Here  also  the  Jews  object,  and 
invert  the  reading  of  the  passage  in  this  manner:  "  This  is  the 
name  by  which  the  Mighty  God,  the  Father  of  eternity,  shall 
call  him,"  &c.j  so  that  they  would  leave  the  Son  only  the  title 
of  Prince  of  peace.  But  to  what  purpose  would  so  many 
epithets  be  accumulated  in  this  passage  on  God  the  Father, 
when  the  design  of  the  Prophet  is  to  distinguish  Christ  by  such 
eminent  characters  as  may  establish  our  faith  in  him?  Where- 
fore, there  can  be  no  doubt  that  he  is  there  denominated  the 
Mighty  God,  just  as,  a  little  before,  he  is  called  Immanuel. 
But  nothing  can  be  required  plainer  than  a  passage  in  Jere- 
miah, that  this  should  be  the  name  whereby  the  Branch  of 
David  shall  be  called,  "  Jehovah  our  righteousness."  (w)  For 
since  the  Jews  themselves  teach,  that  all  other  names  of  God 
are  mere  epithets,  but  that  this  alone,  which  they  call  ineffable, 
is  a  proper  name  expressive  of  his  Essence;  we  conclude,  that 
the  Son  is  the  one  eternal  God,  who  declares,  in  another 
place,  that  he  "  will  not  give  his  glory  to  another."  (.*)  This 
also  they  endeavour  to  evade,  because  Moses  imposed  this 
name  on  an  altar  which  he  built,  and  Ezekiel  on  the  city  of 
the  new  Jerusalem.  But  who  does  not  perceive,  that  the  altar 
was  erected  as  a  monument  of  Moses  having  been  exalted  by 
God,  and  that  Jerusalem  is  honoured  with  the  name  of  God, 
only  as  a  testimony  of  the  Divine  presence?  For  thus  speaks 
the  Prophet:  "  The  name  of  the  city  shall  be,  Jehovah  is 

(/)  Exod.  vii.  1.  (»)  Isaiah  ix.  6. 

(w)  Jer.  xziii.  6.  (x)  Isaiah  xlii.  8. 


140  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  LMOOK  i. 

there."  (//)  But  Moses  expresses  himself  thus:  He  "  built  an 
altar,  and  called  the  name  of  it,  Jehovah-nissi,  (my  exalta- 
tion)." (2)  But  there  is  more  contention  about  another 
passage  of  Jeremiah,  where  the  same  title  is  given  to  Jerusa- 
lem in  these  words:  "  This  is  the  name  wherewith  she  shall 
be  called,  Jehovah  our  righteousness."  (ft)  But  this  testimony  is 
so  far  from  opposing  the  truth,  which  we  are  defending,  that 
it  rather  confirms  it.  For,  having  before  testified  that  Christ 
is  the  true  Jehovah,  from  whom  righteousness  proceeds,  he 
now  pronounces  that  the  Church  will  have  such  a  clear  appre- 
hension of  it,  as  to  be  able  to  glory  in  the  same  name.  In  the 
former  place,  then,  is  shewn  the  original  cause  of  righteous- 
ness, in  the  latter  the  effect. 

X.  Now  if  these  things  do  not  satisfy  the  Jews,  I  see  not 
by  what  cavils  they  can  evade  the  accounts  of  Jehovah  having 
so  frequently  appeared  in  the  character  of  an  angel.  An  angel 
is  said  to  have  appeared  to  the   holy   fathers.    He   claims   for 
himself  the  name  of  the  eternal   God.   If  it  be  objected,  that 
this  is  spoken  with  regard  to  the  character  which  he  sustains, 
this  by  no  means  removes  the  difficulty.   For  a  servant  would 
never  rob  God  of  his  honour,  by  permitting  sacrifice  to   be 
offered  to  himself.    But  the  angel,  refusing  to  eat  bread,  com- 
mands  a  sacrifice  to  be  offered  to  Jehovah.    He  afterwards 
demonstrates    that    he    is    really  Jehovah  himself.  Therefore 
Manaoh  and  his  wife  conclude,  from  this  evidence,  that  they 
have  seen,  not  a  mere  angel,  but  God  himself.  Hence  he  says, 
<{t  We  shall   surely  die,    because   we  have   seen   God."  When 
his  wife  replies,  "  If  the  Lord  were  pleased  to  kill  us,  he  would 
not  have  received"  a  sacrifice  "at  our  hands;"  (/-»)  she  clearly 
acknowledges  him  to  lie  God,  who  before  is  called  an  angel. 
Moreover,  the  reply  of  the  angel  himself  removes  every  doubt, 
"  Why  askest  thou  after  my  name,  seeing  it  is  wonderful?" 
So  much  the  more  detestable  is  the  impiety  of  Servetus,  in 
asserting-,  that  God  never  appeared  to  Abraham  and  the  other 
patriarchs,  but  that  they  worshipped   an  angel   in  his    stead. 
But  the  orthodox  doctors  of  the  Church  have  truly  and  wisely 
und(  rstood  and  taught,  that  the  same  chief  angel  was  the  Word 

' nr~inB        _,        n m*        iV        _       i"  ••••^i^ 

(  v)  Kzek.  xlviii.  "  >.  (g)  Exod.  xvii.  15. 

Jer.  xxxlii.  16.  (4)  Judges  xjii.  22,  23. 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  141 

of  God,  who  even  then  began  to  perform  some  services  intro- 
ductory to  his  execution  of  the  office  of  Mediator.  For  though 
he  was  not  yet  incarnate,  he  descended,  as  it  were,  in  a  media- 
torial capacity,  that  he  might  approach  the  faithful  with  greater 
familiarity.  His  familiar  intercourse  with  men  gave  him  the 
name  of  an  angel:  yet  he  still  retained  what  properly  belonged 
to  him,  and  continued  the  ineffably  glorious  God.  The  same 
truth  is  attested  by  Hosea,  who,  after  relating  the  wrestling 
of  Jacob  with  an  angel,  says,  "  The  Lord  (Jehovah)  God  of 
hosts;  Jehovah  is  his  memorial."  (c)  Servetus  again  cavils, 
that  God  employed  the  person  of  an  angel;  as  though  the 
Prophet  did  not  confirm,  what  had  been  delivered  by  Moses, 
"  Wherefore  is  it  that  thou  dost  ask  after  my  name?"  And 
the  confession  of  the  holy  patriarch,  when  he  says,  "  I  have 
seen  God  face  to  face,"  (</)  sufficiently  declares,  that  he  was 
not  a  created  angel,  but  one  in  whom  resided  the  fulness  of 
Deity.  Hence  also  the  representation  of  Paul,  that  Christ 
was  the  conductor  of  the  people  in  the  wilderness;  because, 
though  the  time  of  his  humiliation  was  not  yet  arrived,  the 
eternal  Word  then  exhibited  a  type  of  the  office,  to  which  he 
was  appointed.  Now  if  the  second  chapter  of  Zechariah  be 
strictly  and  coolly  examined,  the  angel  who  sends  another 
angel  is  immediately  pronounced  the  God  of  hosts,  and  su- 
preme power  is  ascribed  to  him.  I  omit  testimonies  innumer- 
able, on  which  our  faith  safely  rests,  although  they  have  little 
influence  on  the  Jews.  For  when  it  is  said  in  Isaiah,  "  Lo, 
this  is  our  God;  we  have  waited  for  him,  and  he  will  save  us: 
this  is  Jehovah:"  (e}  all  who  have  eyes  may  perceive  that  this 
is  God,  who  ariseth  for  the  salvation  of  his  people.  And  the 
emphatical  repetition  of  these  pointed  expressions  forbids  an 
application  of  this  passage  to  any  other  than  to  Christ.  But 
still  more  plain  and  decisive  is  a  passage  of  Malachi,  where  he 
prophesies,  that  "the  Lord,  who  was  then  sought,  should 
come  into  his  temple."  (/)  The  temple  was  exclusively  con- 
secrated to  the  one  most  high  God;  yet  the  Prophet  claims  it 
as  belonging  to  Christ.  Whence  it  follows,  that  he  is  the 
same  God,  that  was  always  worshipped  among  the  Jews. 

(c)  Hosea  xii.  5.  (J)  Gen.  xxxii.  29,  30. 

(e)  Isaiah  xxv-  9.  (/)  Mai.  Hi.  L 


142  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

XI.  The  New  Testament  abounds  with  immtQ£rable__teaUr 
monies.  We  must,  therefore,  endeavour  briefly  to  select  a 
few,  rather  than  to  collect  them  all.  Though  the  Apostles 
spake  of  him,  alter  he  had  appeared  in  flesh  as  the  Medi- 
ator; yet  all  that  I  shall  adduce  will  be  adapted  to  prove 
his  eternal  Deity.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  worthy  of  particular 
observation,  that  the  Apostles  represent  those  things,  which 
were  predicted  concerning  the  eternal  God,  as  either  already 
exhibited  in  Christ,  or  to  be  accomplished  in  him  at  some 
future  period.  The  prediction  of  Isaiah,  that  the  Lord  of 
hosts  would  be  "for  a  stone  of  stumbling,  and  for  a  rock  of 
offence  to  both  the  houses  of  Israel,"  (£•)  Paul  asserts  to  have 
been  fulfilled  in  Christ.  (A)  Therefore  he  declares,  that  Christ 
is  the  Lord  of  hosts.  There  is  a  similar  instance  in  another 
place:  "  We  shall  all  stand,"  says  he,  "  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ.  For  it  is  written,  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord, 
every  knee  shall  bow  to  me,  and  every  tongue  shall  confess  to 
God."  (z)  Since  God,  in  Isaiah,  (/£)  declares  this  concerning- 
himself,  and  Christ  actually  exhibits  it  in  his  own  person,  it 
follows,  that  he  is  that  very  God,  whose  glory  cannot  be  trans- 
ferred to  another.  The  Apostle's  quotation  from  the  Psalms 
also,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  is  evidently  applicable  to 
none  but  God:  "  When  he  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  cap- 
tivity captive:"  (/)  understanding  that  ascension  to  have  been 
prefigured  by  the  exertions  of  the  Divine  power  in  the  signal 
victories  of  David  over  the  heathen  nations,  he  signifies,  that 
the  text  was  more  fully  accomplished  in  Christ.  Thus  John 
attests,  that  it  was  the  glory  of  the  Son,  which  was  revealed  in 
a  vision  to  Isaiah;  whereas  the  Prophet  himself  records  that 
he  saw  the  majesty  of  God.  (ni)  And  those  praises  which  the 
Apostle,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  ascribes  to  the  Son, 
beyond  all  doubt,  most  evidently  belong  to  God:  "  Thou, 
Lord,  in  the  beginning,  hast  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth: 
and  the  heavens  are  the  works  of  thine  hands,"  &c.  Again, 
u  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him."  (rc)  Nor  is  it  any 
misapplication  of  them,  when  he  refers  them  to  Christ:  since 

(f)  Isaiah  viii.  14.  (A)  Rom.  ix.  33.         (i)  Rom.  xiv.  10,  11. 

(>)  Isaiah  xlv.  23.  (/)  Eph.  iv.  8.     Psalm  Ixviii.  18. 

w.)  John  xii.  41.  Isaiah' vi.  1.  (»)  Heb.  i.  10,  6. 


CHAP,  xiii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  143 

all  that  is  predicted  in  those  Psalms  has  been  accomplished 
only  by  him.  For  it  was  He,  who  arose  and  had  mercy  upon 
Zion;  it  was  He,  who  claimed  as  his  own  the  dominion  over 
all  nations  and  islands.  And  why  should  John,  after  having 
affirmed,  at  the  commencement  of  his  Gospel,  (0)  that  the 
Word  was  always  God,  have  hesitated  to  attribute  to  Christ 
the  majesty  of  God?  And  why  should  Paul  have  been  afraid 
to  place  Christ  on  the  tribunal  of  God,  (/>)  after  having  so 
publicly  preached  his  divinity,  when  he  called  him  "  God 
blessed  for  ever?"  (^)  And,  to  shew  how  consistent  he  is  with 
himself  on  this  subject,  he  says,  also  that  "  God  was  manifest 
in  the  flesh." (r)  If  he  is  "  God  blessed  for  ever,"  he  is  the 
same  to  whom  this  Apostle,  in  another  place,  affirms  all  glory 
and  honour  to  be  due.  And  he  conceals  not,  but  openly  pro- 
claims, that,  "  being  in  the  form  of  God,"  he  "  thought  it  not 
robbery  to  be  equal  with  God:  but  made  himself  of  no  reputa- 
tion." (i)  And,  lest  the  impious  might  object,  that  he  is  a  sort 
of  artificial  god,  John  goes  farther,  and  affirms,  that  "This 
is  the  true  God,  and  eternal  life."  (£)  Although  we  ought  to  be 
fully  satisfied  by  his  being  called  God,  especially  by  a  witness 
who  expressly  avers  that  there  are  no  more  gods  than  one; 
I  mean  Paul,  who  says,  "  though  there  be  that  are  called 
Gods,  whether  in  heaven  or  in  earth:  to  us  there  is  but  one 
God,  of  whom  are  all  things."  (*>)  When  we  hear,  from 
the  same  mouth,  that  "  God  is  manifested  in  the  flesh,"  that 
"  God  hath  purchased  the  Church  with  his  own  blood;"  why 
do  we  imagine  a  second  God,  whom  he  by  no  means  acknow- 
ledges? And  there  is  no  doubt  that  all  the  pious  were  of  the 
same  opinion.  Thomas,  likewise,  by  publicly  confessing  him  to 
be  "  his  Lord  and  God,"  declares  him  to  be  the  same  true  God 
whom  he  had  always  worshipped,  (w) 

XII.  If  we  judge  of  his  divinity  from  the  works,  which 
the  Scriptures  attribute  to  him,  it  will  thence  appear  with  in- 
creasing evidence.  For  when  he  said,  that  he  had,  from  the 
beginning,  continually  co-operated  with  the  Father,  the  Jews, 
stupid  as  they  were  about  his  other  declarations,  yet  perceived, 

(o)  John  i.  1,  14.  (  £)  2  Cor.  v.  10.  (9)  Rom.  is.  5[ 

(r)  1  Tim.  iii.  16.  (,)  Philip,  ii.  6.  (f)  1  John  v.  20. 

(v)  1  Cor.  via.  5,  6.  (w)  John  xx.  28. 


144  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  j. 

that  he  assumed  to  himself  Divine  power;  and,  therefore,  as 
John  informs  us,  they  "sought  the  more  to  kill  him;  because 
he  not  only  had  broken  the  sabbath,  but  said  also  that  God 
was  his  Father,  making  himself  equal  with  God."  (;c)  How 
great,  then,  must  be  our  stupidity,  if  we  perceive  not  this 
passage  to  be  a  plain  assertion  of  his  divinity?  To  preside  over 
the  world,  by  his  almighty  providence,  and  to  govern  all 
things  by  the  nod  of  his  own  power  (which  the  Apostle  attri- 
butes to  him),  (?/)  belongs  exclusively  to  the  Creator.  And  he 
participates  with  the  Father,  not  only  in  the  government  of  the 
world,  but  also  in  all  other  offices,  which  cannot  be  communi- 
cated to  creatures.  The  Lord  proclaims,  by  the  Prophet,  "  I, 
even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions,  for  mine 
own  sake."  (2)  According  to  this  declaration,  when  the  Jews 
thought  that  Christ  committed  an  injury  against  God,  by  un- 
dertaking to  forgive  sins,  (a)  he  not  only  asserted,  in  express 
terms,  that  this  power  belonged  to  him,  but  proved  it  by  a 
miracle.  We  see,  therefore,  that  he  hath  not  the  ministry, 
but  the  power  of  remission  of  sins,  which  the  Lord  declares 
shall  never  be  transferred  from  himself  to  another.  Is  it  not 
the  prerogative  of  God  alone,  to  examine  and  penetrate  the 
secret  thoughts  of  the  heart?  Yet  Christ  possessed  that  power; 
which  is  a  proof  of  his  divinity. 

XIII.  But  with  what  perspicuity  of  evidence  does  it  appear 
in  his  miracles?  Though  I  grant  that  the  Prophets  and 
Apostles  performed  miracles  similar  and  equal  to  his,  yet  there 
is  a  considerable  difference  in  this  respect,  that  they,  in  their 
ministry,  dispensed  the  favours  of  God,  whereas  his  miracles 
were  performed  by  his  exertions  of  his  own  power.  He  some- 
times, indeed,  used  prayer,  that  he  might  glorify  the  Father: 
but,  in  most  instances,  we  perceive  the  manifest  displays  of  his 
own  power.  And  how  should  not  he  be  the  true  author  of 
miracles,  who,  by  his  own  authority,  committed  the  dispensa- 
tion of  them  to  others?  For  the  Evangelists  relate,  that  he 
gave  his  Apostles  power  to  raise  the  dead,  to  heal  the  leprous, 
to  cast  out  dev  ils,  Sec.  (£)  And  they  performed  that  ministry  in 
such  a  manner,  as  plainly  to  discover,  that  the  power  pro- 

(r)  John  v.  18.  (//)  Heb.  i.  3.  (2)  Isaiah  xliii.  25. 

-(a)  Matt.  ix.  6.  (6)  Matt.  x.  8.    Mark  iii.  15. 


CHAP.  xiii.J      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  145 

ceeded  solely  from  Christ.  "  In  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ," 
ays  Peter,  "  arise  and  walk."(c)  It  is  no  wonder  therefore, 
hat  Christ  should  bring  forward  his  miracles,  (W)  to  convince- 
t  e  incredulity  of  the  Jews,  since  being  performed  by  his  own 
power,  they  afforded  most  ample  evidence  of  his  divinity.  Be- 
sides, if  out  of  God  there  be  no  salvation,  no  righteousness,  no 
life,  but  Christ  contains  all  these  things  in  himself,  it  certainly 
demonstrates  him  to  be  God.  Let  it  not  be  objected^  that  life 
;.iul  salvation  nye  j"f"?fd  fatft.hijTli>y,  Qiftd'-  fo,r  he  is  not  said. 
to  have  received  salvation,  but  to  be  .himself  salvation.  And  if 
no  one  be  good  but  God  alone,  (e)  how  can  he  be  a  mere  man 
who  is,  I  will  not  say  good  and  righteous,  but  goodness  and 
righteousness  itself?  Even  from  the  beginning  of  the  creation, 
according  to  the  testimony  of  an  Evangelist,  "  in  him  was  life; 
and  the  life"  then  existed  as  "  the  light  of  men."  Supported 
by  such  proofs  therefore,  we  venture  to  repose  our  faith  and 
hope  on  him.  Whereas  we  know  that  it  is  impious  and  sacri- 
legious for  any  man  to  place  his  confidence  in  creatures;  he 
says,  "  Ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me."(y)  And  in 
this  sense  Paul  interprets  two  passages  of  Isaiah;  "  Whoso- 
ever believeth  on  him  shall  not  be  ashamed."  Again,  "  There 
shaH  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  that  shall  rise  to  reign  over  the  Gen- 
tiles; in  him  shall  the  Gentiles  trust."  (,f)  And  why  should 
we  search  for  more  testimonies  from  Scripture,  when  this  de- 
claration occurs  so  frequently:  "  He  that  believeth  on  me 
hath  everlasting  life?"(A)  The  invocation,  arising  from  faith,  is 
also  directed  to  him;  which  nevertheless  peculiarly  belongr,, 
if  any  thing  peculiarly  belongs,  to  the  Divine  majesty. 
For  a  Prophet  says,  "  Whosoever  shall  call  on  the  name 
of  the  Lord  (Jehovah)  shall  be  delivered."(.z)  And  Solomon, 
"  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower:  the  righteous 
runneth  into  it,  and  is  safe."  (-£)  But  the  name  of  Christ  is. 
invoked  for  salvation:  it  follows,  therefore,  that  he  is  Jehovah. 
Moreover,  we  have  an  example  of  such  invocation  in  Stephen, 
when  he  says,  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit."  (/)  And 

(c)  Acts  iii.  G.  (</)  John  v.  36.  x.  37.  (e)  Matt.  xix.  17. 

(/)  John  xiv.  1.  (#)  Isaiah  xxviii.  16.  xi.  10.  Rom.  x.  11.  xv.  12. 

(A)  John  vi.  47.  (i)  Joel  ii.  32.  f.*)  Prov.  xviii.  10. 
(0  Acts  vii.  59. 

VOL.  I.  T 


146  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

afterwards  in  the  whole  Church,  as  Ananias  testifies  in  the 
same  book;  "  Lord,  I  have  heard  by  many  of  this  man, 
how  much  evil  he  hath  done  to  thy  saints — that  call  on 
thy  name."  (;»)  And  to  make  it  more  clearly  understood, 
that  u  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwelleth  bodily  in 
Christ,"  the  Apostle  confesses  that  he  had  introduced  among 
the  Corinthians  no  other  doctrine  than  the  knowledge  of 
him,  and  that  this  had  been  the  only  subject  of  his  preach- 
ing. (M)  What  a  remarkable  and  important  consideration  is 
it,  that  the  name  of  the  Son  only  is  preached  to  us,  where  as 
Hod  commands  us  to  glory  in  the  -knowledge  of  himself 
air -ne?  (0)  Who  can  dare  to  assert  that  he  is  a  mere  creature, 
the  knowledge  of  whom  is  our  only  glory?  It  must  also  be 
remarked,  that  the  salutations  prefixed  to  the  epistles  of  Paul 
implore  the  same  blessings  from  the  Son  as  from  the  Father; 
whence  we  learn,  not  only  that  those  things,  which  our  hea- 
venly Father  bestows,  are  obtained  for  us  by  his  intercession, 
but  that  the  Son,  by  a  communion  of  power,  is  himself  the 
author  of  them.  This  practical  knowledge  is  unquestionably 
more  certain  and  solid  than  any  idle  speculation.  For  then 
the  pious  mind  has  the  nearest  view  of  the  Divine  presence, 
and  almost  touches  it,  when  it  experiences  itself  to  be  quicken- 
ed, illuminated,  saved,  justified  and  sanctified. 

XIV.  Wherefore  thcproot  uf  the  Deity  of  the  Spirit  must 
be  derived  principally  from  the  same  sources.  There  is  no  ob- 
scurity in  the  testimony  of  Moses,  in  the  history  of  the  crea- 
tion, that  the  Spirit  of  God  was  expanded  on  the  abyss  or 
chaos;(/>)  for  it  signifies,  not  only  that  the  beautiful  state  ol 
the  world  which  we  now  behold  owes  its  preservation  to  the 
power  of  the  Spiiit,  but  that  previously  to  its  being  thus 
adorned,  the  Spirit  was  engaged  in  brooding  over  the  confus- 
ed mass.  The  declaration  of  Isaiah  bids  defiance  to  all  cavils; 
"  And  now  the  Lord  God,  and  his  Spirit  hath  sent  me."(^  • 
For  the  Holy  Spirit  is  united  in  the  exercise  of  supreme 
power  in  the  mission  of  Prophets,  which  is  a  proof  of  1m 
Divine  majesty.  But  the  best  confirmation,  as  I  have  re- 
marked, we  shull  derive  from  familiar  experience.  For  van:: 

(in)  Acts  ix.  13,  14.  (?:)  1  Gor.  ii.  i2.  (o)  Jcr.  is.  24 

(/»)  Gen.  i.  2-  Isaiah  xlviu.  16 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  147 

the  Scriptures  ascribe  to  hima  and  what  we  ourselves  learn  by 
the  certain  experience  of  piety,  is  not  at  all  applicable  to  any 
creature.  For  it  is  he  who,  being  universally  diffused, 
sustains  and  animates  all  things  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
And  this  very  thing  excludes  him  from  the  number  of  crea- 
tures, that  he  |s_ cjrcurns cribed  by  no  limits,  but  transfuses 
through  all  his  own  vigorous  influence,  to  inspire  them  with 
being  life  and  motion;  this  is  clearly  a  work  of  Deity. 
Again,  if  regeneration  to  an  incorruptible  life  be  more  im- 
portant and  excellent  than  any  present  life,  what  must  we 
think  of  him  from  whose  power  it  proceeds?  But  the  Scrip- 
ture teaches  in  various  places,  that  he  is  the  author  of  rege- 
neration by  a  power  not  derived,  but  properly  his  own;  and  not 
of  regeneration  only,  but  likewise  of  the  future  immortality. 
Finally,  to  him,  as  well  as  to  the  Son,  are  applied  all  those 
offices  which  are  peculiar  to  Deity.  For  he  "  searcheth  even 
the  deep  things  of  God,"(r)  who  admits  no  creature  to  a  share 
in  his  councils.  He  bestows  wisdom  and  the  faculty  of 
speech:  (&•)  whereas  the  Lord  declares  to  Moses,  that  this  can 
only  be  done  by  himself,  (f)  So  through  him  we  attain  to  a 
participation  of  God,  to  feel  his  vivifying  energy  upon  us.  Our 
justification  is  his  work.  From  him  proceeds  power,  sanctifi- 
cation,  truth,  grace,  and  every  other  blessing  we  can  conceive: 
since  there  is  but  one  Spirit,  from  whom  every  kind  of  gifts 
descends.  For  this  passage  of  Paul  is  worthy  of  particular  atten- 
tion; "  there  are  diversities  of  gifts,  and  there  are  differences  of 
administrations,  but  the  same  spirit:"(w)  because  it  represents 
him,  not  only  as  the  principle  and  source  of  them,  but  also  as 
the  author:  which  is  yet  more  clearly  expressed  a  little  after 
in  these  words;  "  All  these  worketh  that  only  and  the  self- 
same Spirit,  dividing  to  every  man  severally  as  he  will."  For 
if  he  were  not  a  subsistence  in  the  Deity,  judgment  and  volun- 
tary determination  would  nev  cribed  to  him.  Paul, 
therefore,  very  clearly  attributes  to  the  Spirit  divine  power, 
and  thereby  demonstrates  him  to  be  an  hypostasis  or  subsist- 
ence in  God. 

XV.  Nor  does  the  Scripture,  when  it  speaks  of  him,  refrain 

(r)  1  Cor.  ii.  10,  16.  (.?)  1  Cor.  xii.  8. 

Cf)  Exotl.  iv.  11.  (w)  1  Cor.  xii.  4,  &c. 


148  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

from  giving  him  the  appellation  of  God.  For  Paul  concludes 
that  we  are  the  temple  of  God,  because  his  Spirit  dwelleth  in 
us.  (u)  This  must  not  be  passed  over  without  particular  notice; 
for  the  frequent  promises  of  God  that  he  will  choose  us  for  a 
temple  for  himself  receive  no  other  accomplishment,  than  by 
the  inhabitation  of  his  Spirit  in  us.  Certainly,  as  Augustine 
excellently  observes,  "  If  we  were  commanded  to  erect  to  the 
Spirit  a  temple  of  wood  and  stone,  forasmuch  as  God  is  the 
sole  object  of  worship,  it  would  be  a  clear  proof  of  his  divinity; 
how  much  clearer,  then,  is  the  proof,  now  that  we  are  com- 
manded, not  to  erect  one,  but  to  be  ourselves  his  temples?" 
And  the  Apostle  calh  us  sometimes  the  temple  of  God,  and 
sometimes  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  both  in  the  same 
signification.  Peter,  reprehending  Ananias  for  having  "  lied 
to  the  Holy  Ghost,"  told  him,  that  he  had  "  not  lied  unto 
men,  but  unto  God."  (ru)  And  where  Isaiah  (.r)  introduces  the 
Lord  of  hosts  as  the  speaker,  Paul  (?/)  informs  us  that  it  is 
the  Holy  Spirit  who  speaks.  Indeed,  while  the  Prophets  in- 
variably declare  that  the  words  which  they  utter  are  those  of 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  Christ  and  the  Apostles  refer  them  to  the 
Holy  Spirit;  whence  it  follows,  that  he  is  the  true  Jehovah, 
who  is  the  primary  author  of  the  prophecies.  Again,  God 
complains  that  his  anger  was  provoked  by  the  perverseness  of 
the  people;  Isaiah,  in  reference  to  the  same  conduct,  says, 
that  "  They  vexed  his  Holy  Spirit."  (2)  Lastly,  if  blasphemy 
against  the  Spirit  be  not  forgiven,  either  in  this  world  or  in 
that  which  is  to  come,  (a)  whilst  a  man  may  obtain  pardon  who 
has  been  guilty  of  blasphemy  against  the  Sen,  this  is  an  open 
declaration  of  his  Divine  majesty,  to  defame  or  degrade  which  is 
an  inexpiable  crime.  I  intentionally  pass  over  many  testimo- 
nies which  were  used  by  the  fathers.  To  them  there  appeared 
much  plausibility  in  citing  this  passage  from  David,  "  By  the 
word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made,  and  all  the  host  of 
them  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth;"  (£)  to  prove  that  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world  was  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  well  as 
of  the  Son.  But  since  a  repetition  of  the  same  thing  twice  is 

O)  1  Cor.  iii.  16.  vi.  19.     2  Cor.  vi.  16.  (w)  Acts  v.  3,  4. 

(x)  Isaiah  vi.  9.  (.v)  Acts  xxviii.  55.      (r)  Isaiah  Ixiii.  10. 

(«)  Mattxii.31.    Mark  iii.  £9.  Luke  xii.  10.     !7<)  I'sulrr.  rixxHi.  ('. 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  149 

common  in  the  Psalms,  and  in  Isaiah  "the  Spirit  of  his 
mouth"  means  the  same  as  "his  word,"  this  is  but  a  weak 
argument.  Therefore  I  have  determined  to  confine  myself 
to  a  sober  statement  of  those  evidences  on  which  pious  minds 
may  satisfactorily  rest. 

XVI.  As  God  afforded  a  clearer  manifestation  of  him- 
self at  the  advent  of  Christ,  the  three  Persons  also  then 
became  better  known.  Among  many  testimonies  let  us  be 
satisfied  with  this  one:  Paul  connects  together  these  three, 
Lord  Faith  and  Baptism,  (c)  in  such  a  manner  as  to  reason 
from  one  to  another.  Since  there  is  but  one  faith,  hence 
he  proves  that  there  is  but  one  Lord;  since  there  is  but 
one  baptism,  he  shews  that  there  is  also  but  one  faith.  There- 
fore if  we  are  initiated  by  baptism  into  the  faith  and  re- 
ligion of  one  God,  we  must  necessarily  suppose  him  to  be 
the  true  God  into  whose  name  we  are  baptized.  Nor  can  it 
be  doubted  but  that  in  this  solemn  commission,  "  Baptize 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,"  Christ  intended  to  testify,  that  the  perfect  light 
of  faith  was  now  exhibited.  For  this  is  equivalent  to  being 
baptized  into  the  name  of  the  one  God,  who  hath  clearly  ma- 
nifested himself  in  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit:  whence  it 
evidently  appears,  that  in  the  Divine  Essence  there  exist 
three  Persons,  in  whom  is  known  the  one  God.  And,  truly, 
since  faith  ought  not  to  be  looking  about  hither  and  thither, 
or  to  be  wandering  through  the  varieties  of  inconstancy,  but 
to  direct  its  views  towards  the  one  God,  to  be  fixed  on  him, 
and  to  adhere  to  him;  it  may  easily  be  proved  from  these 
premises,  that  if  there  be  various  kinds  of  faith,  there  must 
also  be  a  plurality  of  gods.  Baptism  being  a  sacrament  of 
faith,  confirms  to  us  the  unity  of  God,  because  it  is  but 
one.  Hence  also  we  conclude,  that  it  is  not  lawful  to  be 
baptized,  except  into  the  name  of  the  one  God;  because  we 
embrace  the  faith  of  him,  into  whose  name  we  are  baptized. 
What  then  was  intended  by  Christ,  when  he  commanded 
baptism  to  be  administered  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
the  Son,  and  -of  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  that  one  faith  ought  to 

(c-)  Ephes.  iv.  5. 


150  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

be  exercised  in  the  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit?  and  what  is  that 
but  a  clear  testimony,  that  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  are  the  one  God?  Therefore,  since  it  is  an  undeniable 
truth,  that  there  is  one  God,  and  only  one,  we  conclude  the 
Word  and  Spirit  to  be  no  other  than  the  very  Essence  of  the 
Deity.  The  greatest  degree  of  folly  was  betrayed  by  the 
Arians,  who  confessed  the  divinity  of  the  Son,  but  denied  him 
to  possess  the  substance  of  God.  Nor  were  the  Macedonians  free 
from  a  similar  delusion,  who  would  explain  the  term  "  spirit" 
to  mean  only  the  gifts  of  grace  conferred  upon  man.  For  as 
wisdom,  understanding,  prudence,  fortitude,  and  fear  of  the 
Lord,  proceed  from  him:  so  he  alone  is  the  Spirit  of  wisdom, 
prudence,  fortitude,  and  piety.  Nor  is  he  himself  divided 
according  to  the  distribution  of  his  graces:  but,  as  the  Apostle 
declares,  how  variously  soever  they  are  divided,  he  always  re- 
mains one  and  the  same.  (</) 

XVII.  On  the  other  hand  also  we  find  in  the  Scriptures 
a  distinction  between  the  Father  and  the  Word,  between  the 
Word  and  the  Spirit:  in  the  discussion  of  which  the  magni- 
tude of  the  mystery  reminds  us  that  we  ought  to  proceed 
with  the  utmost  reverence  and  sobriety.  I  am  exceedingly 
'  pleased  with  this  observation  of  Gregory  Nazianzen;  "  I  can- 
not think  of  the  one,  but  I  am  immediately  surrounded  with 
the  splendour  of  the  three;  nor  can  I  clearly  discover  the 
three,  but  I  am  suddenly  carried  back  to  the  one."  Wherefore 
let  us  not  imagine  such  a  trinity  of  persons,  as  includes  an  idea  of 
separation,  or  does  not  immediately  recal  us  to  the  unity.  The 
names  of  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  certainly  imply  a  real 
distinction;  let  no  one  suppose  them  to  be  mere  epithets,  by 
which  God  is  variously  designated  from  his  works:  but  it  is  a 
distinction,  not  a  division.  The  passages  already  cited  shew, 
that  the  Son  has  a  property,  by  which  he  is  distinguished  from 
the  Father;  because  the  Word  had  not  been  with  God,  or 
had  his  glory  with  the  Father,  unless  he  had  been  distinct  from 
him.  He  likewise  distinguishes  the  Father  from  himself,  when 
he  says,  "  that  there  is  another  that  beareth  witness  of  him."(e) 
And  to  the  same  effect  is  what  is  declared  in  another  place, 

(</)  1  Cor.  xii.  11.  («)  John  v.  32.  via.  16,  18. 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  151 

that  the  Father  created  all  things  by  the  Word:  which  he 
could  not  have  done,  unless  he  had  been  in  some  sense  distinct 
from  him.  Besides,  the  Father  descended  not  to  the  earth, 
but  he  who  came  forth  from  the  Father.  The  Father  neither 
died  nor  rose  again,  but  he  who  was  sent  by  the  Father.  Nor 
did  this  distinction  commence  at  the  incarnation,  but  it  is 
evident,  that,  before  that  period,  he  was  the  only  begotten  in 
the  bosom  of  the  Father,  (y)  For  who  can  undertake  to  assert, 
that  the  Son  first  entered  into  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  when 
he  descended  from  heaven  to  assume  a  human  nature?  He, 
therefore  was  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father  before,  and  possessed 
his  glory  with  the  Father.  The  distinction  between  the  Holy 
Spirit  and  the  Father  is  announced  by  Christ,  when  he  says, 
that  he  "proceedeth  from  the  Father."  (£•)  But  how  often 
does  he  represent  him  as  another,  distinct  from  himself?  as 
when  he  promises  that  "  another  Comforter"  (A)  should  be 
sent,  and  in  many  other  places. 

XVIII.  I  doubt  the  propriety  of  borrowing  similitudes 
from  human  things,  to  express  the  force  of  this  distinction. 
The  fathers  sometimes  practise  this  method;  but  they  like- 
wise confess  the  great  disproportion  of  all  the  similitudes 
which  they  introduce.  Wherefore  I  greatly  dread,  in  this 
instance,  every  degree  of  presumption;  lest  the  introduction  of 
any  thing  unseasonable  should  afford  an  occasion  of  calumny 
to  the  malicious,  or  of  error  to  the  ignorant.  Yet  it  is  not 
right  to  be  silent  on  the  distinction  which  we  find  expressed  in 
the  Scriptures;  which  is  this:  thatftp  the  Father  is  attributed 
the  principle  of  action,  the  fountain  and  source  of  all  things; 
to  the  Son,  wisdom,  counsel,  and  the  arrangement  of  all 
operations;  and  the  power  and  efficacy  of  the  action  is  assigned 
to  the  Spirit.  Moreover,  though  eternity  belongs  to  the  Father, 
and  to  the  Son  and  Spirit  also,  since  God  can  never  have 
been  destitute  of  his  wisdom  or  his  power,  and  in  eternity 
we  must  not  inquire  after  any  thing  prior  or  posterior;  yet  the 
observation  of  order  is  not  vain  or  superfluous,  while  the  Fa- 
ther is  mentioned  as  first;  in  the  next  place  the  Son,  as  from 
him;  and  then  the  Spirit^  as  from  both.  For  the  mind  of 

(/)  John  i.  18.  (sO  John  xv,  C6  (A)  John  xiv  !« 


152  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  LHOOK  i. 

every  man  naturally  inclines  to  the  consideration,  first,  oi 
God,  secondly  of  the  wisdom  emanating  from  him,  and 
lastly  of  the  power  by  which  he  executes  the  decrees  of  his 
wisdom.  For  this  reason  the  Son  is  said  to  be  from  the 
Father,  and  the  Spirit  from  both  the  Father  and  the  SonTjand 
that  in  various  places,  but  no  where  more  clearly  than  in  the 
eighth  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  where  the  same 
Spirit  is  indifferently  denominated  "  the  Spirit  of  Christ,"  and 
"  the  Spirit  of  him  that  raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead,"  and 
that  without  any  impropriety.  For  Peter  also  testifies  that  it 
was  the  Spirit  of  Christ  by  whom  the  Prophets  prophesied;  (z) 
whereas  the  Scripture  so  frequently  declares  that  it  was  the 
Spirit  of  God  the  Father. 

XIX.  This  distinction  is  so  far  from  opposing  the  most 
absolute  simplicity  and  unity  of  the  Divine  Being,  that  it 
affords  a  proof  that  the  Son  is  one  God  with  the  Father, 
because  he  has  the  same  Spirit  with  him:  and  that  the 
Spirit  is  not  a  different  substance  from  the  Father  and  the 
Son,  because  he  is  the  Spirit  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son. 
For  the  whole  nature  is  in  each  hypostasis,  and  each  has  some- 
thing peculiar  to  himself.  The  Father  is  entirely  in  the  Son, 
and  the  Son  entirely  in  the  Father,  according  to  his  own  de- 
claration, "  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  me:"  (/£) 
nor  do  ecclesiastical  writers  allow  that  one  is  divided  from  the 
other  by  any  difference  of  essence.  "  These  distinctive  ap- 
pellations," says  Augustine,  "denote  their  reciprocal  rela- 
tions to  each  other,  and  not  the  substance  itself,  which  is  but 
one."  This  explanation  may  serve  to  reconcile  the  opinions 
of  the  fathers,  which  would  otherwise  appear  totally  repugnant 
to  each  other.  For  sometimes  they  state  that  the  Son  origi- 
nates from  the  Father,  and  at  other  times  assert  that  he  has 
essential  divinity  from  himself;  and  so  is,  together  with  the 
Father,  the  one  first  cause  of  all.  Augustine,  in  another  place, 
admirably  and  perspicuously  explains  the  cause  of  this  diver- 
sity, in  the  following  manner;  "  Christ,  considered  in  him- 
self, is  called  God;  but  with  relation  to  the  Father,  he  is 
called  the  Son."  And  again,  "The  Father,  considered  in 

CO  1  Pet,  i.  11.  (i)  John  xiv.  10,  11. 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  153 

himself,  is  called  God;  but  with  relation  to  the  Son,  he  is 
called  the  Father.  He  who,  with  relation  to  the  Son,  is  called 
the  Father,  is  not  the  Son:  he  who,  with  relation  to  the  Fa- 
ther, is  called  the  Son,  is  not  the  Father:  they  who  are 
severally  called  the  Father  and  the  Son,  are  the  same  God." 
Therefore,  when  we  speak  simply  of  the  Son  without  refer- 
ence to  the  Father  T  we  truly  and :  properly  Assert  him  to^be 
self-existent,  and  therefore  call  him  the,  sole  first  cause:  but, 
/  h;  :i  \ve  distinctly  treat  of  the  relation  between  him  and  Uu- 
Father,  we  justly  represent  him  as  originating  from  the  Father. 
The  first  book  of  Augustine  on  the  Trinity  is  entirely  occupied 
with  the  explication  of  this  subject;  and  it  is  far  more  safe  to 
rest  satisfied  with  that  relation  which  he  states,  than  by  cu- 
riously penetrating  into  the  sublime  mystery,  to  wander  through 
a  multitude  of  vain  speculations. 

XX.  Therefore,  let  such  as  love  sobriety,  and  will  be  con- 
tented with  the  measure  of  faith,  briefly  attend  to  what  is 
useful  to  be  known:  which  is  that  when  we  profess  to  believe 
in  one  God,  the  word  God  denotes  a  single  and  simple  essence, 
in  which  we  comprehend  three  Persons,  orhypostases:  and  that 
therefore  whenever  the  word  God  is  used  indefinitely,  the  Son 
and  Spirit  are  intended  as  much  as  the  Father:  but  when  the 
Son  is  associated  with  the  Father,  that  introduces  the  reciprocal 
relation  of  one  to  the  other;  and  thus  we  distinguish  between 
the  Persons.  But  since  the  peculiar  properties  of  the  Persons 
produce  a  certain  order,  so  that  the  original  cause  is  in  the 
Father;  whenever  the  Father  and  the  Son  or  Spirit  are  men- 
tioned together,  the  name  of  God  is  peculiarly  ascribed  to  th^ 
Father:  by  this  method  the  unity  of  the  essence  is  preserved, 
and  the  order  is  retained;  which  however  derogates  nothing 
from  the  Deity  of  the  Son  and  Spirit.  And  indeed,  as  we 
have  already  seen  that  the  Apostles  assert  him  to  be  the  Son 
of  God,  whom  Moses  and  the  Prophets  have  represented  as 
Jehovah,  it  is  always  necessary  to  recur  to  the  unity  of  the 
essence.  Wherefore  it  would  be  a  detestable  sacrilege  for  us 
to  call  the  Son  another  God  different  from  the  Father:  be- 
cause the^  simple  name  of  God  admits  of  no  relation;  nor  can 
God,  with  respect  to  himself,  be  denominated  either  the  one  or 
the  other.  Now,  that  the  name  "  Jehovah"  in  an  indefinite  sense 

VOL.  I.  U 


154  INSTITUTES  OF  THE,  [BOOK  i. 

is  applicable  to  Christ,  appears  even  from  the  words  of  Paul: 
u  For  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice;"  (/)  because,  after 
relating  the  answer  of  Christ,  "  My  grace  is  sufficient  for 
thee,"  he  immediately  subjoins,  "  That  the  power  of  Christ 
may  rest  upon  me."  For  it  is  certain  that  the  word  "  Lord'' 
is  there  used  for  rt  Jehovah;"  and  to  restrict  it  to  the  person  of 
the  Mediator,  would  be  frivolous  and  puerile,  since  it  is  an 
absolute  declaration,  containing  no  comparison  between  the 
Son  and  the  Father.  And  we  know  that  the  Apostles,  follow- 
ing the  custom  of  the  Greek  translators,  invariably  use  the 
word  Kvpof  (Lord},  instead  of  Jehovah.  And,  not  to  seek 
far  for  an  example  of  this,  Paul  prayed  to  the  Lord  in  no 
other  sense  than  is  intended  in  a  passage  of  Joel,  cited  by 
Peter;  "  Whosoever  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall 
be  saved."  (in)  But  for  the  peculiar  ascription  of  this  name  to 
the  Son  another  reason  will  be  given  in  its  proper  place: 
suffice  it  at  present  to  observe,  that  when  Paul  had  prayed  to 
God  absolutely,  he  immediately  subjoins  the  name  of  Christ. 
Thus  also  the  whole  Deity  is  by  Christ  himself  denominated 
u  a  Spirit."  For  nothing  opposes  the  spirituality  of  the  whole 
Divine  essence,  in  which  are  comprehended  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Spirit:  which  is  plain  from  the  Scripture.  For 
as  we  there  find  God  denominated  a  Spirit,  so  we  find  also  the 
Holy  Spirit,  forasmuch  as  he  is  an  hypostasis  of  the  whole- 
essence,  represented  both  as  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  as  pro- 
ceeding from  God. 

XXI.  But  since  Satan,  in  order  to  subvert  the  very  founda- 
tions of  our  faith,  has  always  been  exciting  great  contentions, 
concerning  the  Divine  essence  of  the  Son  and  Spirit,  and  the 
distinction  of  the  Persons;  and  in  almost  all  ages  has  insti- 
gated impious  spirits  to  vex  the  orthodox  teachers  on  this 
account;  and  is  also  endeavouring,  in  the  present  day,  with 
the  old  embers,  to  kindle  a  new  flame:  it  becomes  necessary 
to  refute  the  perverse  and  fanciful  notions  which  some 
persons  have  imbibed.  Hitherto  it  has  been  our  principal 
design  to  instruct  the  docile,  and  not  to  combat  the  obstinate 
md  contentious:  but  now  having  calmly  explained  and  proved 

->r.  xii.  S.  n  *— 32.  Acti  i-  16—21. 


CHAP,  xiii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  155 

the  truth,  we  must  vindicate  it  from  all  the  cavils  of  the  wicked. 
Although  I  shall  make  it  my  principal  study,  that  those  who 
readily  and  implicitly  attend  to  the  Divine  word,  may  have 
stable  ground  on  which  they  may  confidently  rest.  On  this 
indeed,  if  on  any  of  the  secret  mysteries  of  the  Scripture,  we 
ought  to  philosophise  with  great  sobriety  and  moderation;  and 
also  with  extreme  caution,  lest  either  our  ideas  or  our  lan- 
guage should  proceed  beyond  the  limits  of  the  Divine  word.  For 
how  can  the  infinite  essence  of  God  be  defined  by  the  narrow 
capacity  of  the  human  mind,  which  could  never  yet  certainly  / 
determine  the  nature  of  the  body  of  the  sun,  though  the  object  v 
of  our  daily  contemplation?  How  can  the  human  mind,  by 
its  own  efforts,  penetrate  into  an  examination  of  the  essence  of 
God,  when  it  is  totally  ignorant  of  its  own?  Wherefore  let 
us  freely  leave  to  God  the  knowledge  of  himself.  For  "he 
alone,"  as  Hilary  says,  "is  a  competent  witness  for  himself, 
being  only  known  by  himself."  And  we  shall  certainly  leave 
it  to  him,  if  our  conceptions  of  him  correspond  to  the  mani- 
festations which  he  has  given  us  of  himself,  and  our  inquiries 
concerning  him  are  confined  to  his  word.  There  are  extant 
on  this  argument  five  homilies  of  Chrysostom  against  the  Ano- 
mcei;  which  however  were  not  sufficient  to  restrain  the  pre- 
sumptuous garrulity  of  those  sophists.  For  they  discovered 
no  greater  modesty  in  this  instance  than  in  every  other.  The 
very  unhappy  consequences  of  this  temerity  should  warn  us 
to  study  this  question  with  more  docility  than  subtlety,  and 
not  allow  ourselves  to  investigate  God  any  where  but  in  his 
sacred  word,  or  to  form  any  ideas  of  him  but  such  as  are 
agreeable  to  his  word,  or  to  speak  any  thing  concerning  him 
but  what  is  derived  from  the  same  word.fSut  if  the  distinc- 
tion of  Father  Son  and  Spirit  in  the  one  Deity,  as  it  is  not 
easy  to  be  comprehended,  occasions  some  understandings  more 
labour  and  trouble  than  is  desirable,  let  them  remember,  that 
the  mind  of  man,  when  it  indulges  its  curiosity,  enters  into  a 
labyrinth;  and  let  them  submit  to  be  guided  by  the  heavenly 
oracles,  however  they  may  not  comprehend  the  height  of  this 
mystery.  / 

XXII.  To  compose  a  catalogue  of  the  errors^  by  which  the 
purity  of  the  faith  has  been  attacked  on  this  point  of  doctrine, 


156  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

would  be  too  prolix  and  tedious  without  being  profitable:  and 
most  of  the  heretics  so  strenuously  exerted  themselves  to 
e fleet  the  total  extinction  of  the  Divine  glory  by  their  gross 
reveries,  that  they  thought  it  sufficient  to  unsettle  and  disturb 
the  inexperienced.  From  a  few  men  there  soon  arose  numer- 
ous sects,  of  whom  some  would  divide  the  Divine  essence, 
and  others  would  confound  the  distinction  which  subsists  be- 
tween the  Persons.  But  if  we  maintain,  what  has  already 
Ken  sufficiently  demonstrated  from  the  Scripture,  that  the 
essence  of  the  one  God,  which  pertains  to  the  Father,  to  the 
Son,  and  to  the  Spirit,  is  simple  and  undivided;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  the  Father  is,  by  some  property,  distinguished 
from  the  Son,  and  likewise  the  Son  from  the  Spirit,  the  gate 
will  be  shut,  not  only  against  Anus  and  Sabellius,  but  also 
against  all  the  other  ancient  heresiarchs.  But  since  our  own 
limes  have  witnessed  some  madmen,  as  Servetus  and  his 
followers,  who  have  involved  every  thing  in  new  subtleties, 
a  brief  exposure  of  their  fallacies  will  not  be  unuseful.  The 
word  Trinity  was  so  odious  and  even  detestable  to  Servetus, 
that  he  asserted  all  Trinitarians,  as  he  called  them,  to  be 
Atheists.  I  omit  his  impertinent  and  scurrilous  language, 
but  this  was  the  substance  of  his  speculations:  That  it  is  re- 
presenting God  as  consisting  of  three  parts,  when  three  Per- 
sons are  said  to  subsist  in  his  essence,  and  that  this  triad  is 
merely  imaginary,  being  repugnant  to  the  Divine  unity.  At 
the  same  time,  he  maintained  the  Persons  to  be  certain  exter- 
nal ideas,  which  have  no  real  subsistence  in  the  Divine  essence, 
but  give  us  a  figurative  representation  of  God  under  this  or  the 
other  form:  and  that  in  the  beginning  there  was  no  distinction 
in  God,  because  the  Word  was  once  the  same  as  the  Spirit: 
but  that  after  Christ  appeared  God  of  God,  there  emanated 
from  him  another  God,  even  the  Spirit.  Though  he  some- 
r'mvs  glo:;sf  s  over  his  impcrtinencics  with  allegories,  as  when 

.:;  that  the  eternal  Word  of  God  was  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
with  G<j'l,  and  the  reflection  of  his  image,  and  that  the  Spirit 

.1  :,h;uU>w  of  the  Deity;  yet  he  afterwards  destroys  the 
Deity  of  both,  asserting  that  according  to  the  mode  of  dispen- 
sation, there  is  a  pnrt  of  God  in  both  the  Son  and  the  Spirit; 
..me  Spirit,  substantial!  •;'   in  •'-  and  even 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  157 

in   wood   and   stones,   is   a   portion   of  the   Deity.    What  he 
broaches    concerning   the  Person  of  the  Mediator,  we   shall 
examine  in  the  proper  place.  But  this  monstrous  fiction,  that 
a  Divine  Person  is  nothing  but  a  visible  appearance  of  the 
glory  of   (iod,  will  not  need  a  prolix  refutation.   For  when 
John  pronounces  that  the  Word  (A«y««)  was  God  before  the 
creation  of  the  world,  he  sufficiently  discriminates  him  from 
an   ideal    form.    But   if   then    also,    and    from   the   remotest 
eternity,  that    Word    (A«y««)    who    was    God,    was   with    the 
Father,  and  possessed  his  own  glory  with  the  Father,  he  cer- 
tainly could  not  be  an  external  or  figurative  splendour:  but 
it  necessarily  follows,  that  he  was  a  real  hypostasis,  subsisting 
in   God  himself.   But  although    no  mention  is  made   of  the 
Spirit,  but  in  the  history  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  yet  he  is 
there  introduced,  not  as  a  shadow,  but  as  the  essential  power  of 
God,  since  Moses  relates  that  the  chaotic  mass  was  supported 
by  him.    (n)    It    then    appeared    therefore,    that    the   eternal 
Spirit  had   always  existed  in  the    Deity,  since  he  cherished 
and  sustained  the  confused  matter  of  the  heaven  and  earth, 
till  it  attained  a  state  of  beauty  and  order.  He  certainly  could 
not  then  be  an  image  or  representation  of  God,  according  to 
the  dreams  of  Servetus.  But  in  other  places  he  is  constrained 
to  make  a  fuller  disclosure  of  his  impiety,  saying  that  God,  in 
his  eternal  reason,  decreeing  for  himself   a  visible  Son,  has 
visibly  exhibited  himself  in  this  manner:  for  if  this  be   true, 
there  is  no  other  divinity  left  to  Christ,  than  as  he  has'  been 
appointed  a  Son  by  an  eternal  decree  of  God.  Besides,  he  so 
transforms  those  phantasms,  which  he  substitutes  instead  of 
the  hypostases,  that  he  hesitates  not  to  imagine  new  accidents 
or  properties  in  God.  |But  the  most  execrable  blasphemy  of 
all  is  his  promiscuous  confusion  of  the  Son  of  God  and  the 
Spirit   with    all    the  creatures.    For   he    asserts    that  in    the 
Divine  essence  there  are  parts  and  divisions,  every  portion  of 
which  is  God:  and  especially,  that  the  souls  of  the  faithful  arc 
co-eternal  and  consubstantial  with  God:    though    in    another 
place  he  assigns  substantial  Deity,  not  only  to  the  human  soul, 
'nit  to  all  created  thingsTT 

(n)  Geri.  i.  2. 


158  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

XXIII.  From  the  same  corrupt  source  has  proceeded 
another  heresy,  equally  monstrous.  For  some  worthless  men, 
to  escape  the  odium  and  disgrace  which  attended  the  impious 
tenets  of  Servetus,  have  confessed  indeed  that*  there  are  three 
Persons,  but  with  this  explanation,  that  the  Father,  who  alone 
is  truly  and  properly  God,  hath  created  the  Son  and  Spirit, 
and  transfused  his  Deity  into  them.  Nor  do  they  refrain  from 
this  dreadful  manner  of  expressing  themselves,  that  the  Father 
is  distinguished  from  the  Son  and  Spirit,  as  being  the  sole 
possessor  of  the  Divine  essence.  Their  first  plea  in  support  of 
this  notion  is,  that  Christ  is  commonly  called  the  Son  of  God; 
whence  they  conclude,  that  no  other  is  properly  God  but  the 
Father.  But  they  observe  not,  that  although  the  name  of 
God  is  common  also  to  the  Son,  yet  that  it  is  sometime* 
ascribed  to  the  Father  (*«T'  c|exm»)  by  way  of  eminence, 
because  he  is  the  fountain  and  original  of  the  Deity;  and  this 
in  order  to  denote  the  simple  unity  of  the  essence.  They  ob- 
ject, that  if  he  is  truly  the  Son  of  God,  it  is  absurd  to  account 
him  the  Son  of  a  Person.  I  reply,  that  both  are  true;  that 
he  is  the  Son  of  God,  because  he  is  the  Word  begotten  of  the 
Father  before  time  began,  for  we  are  not  yet  speaking  of  the 
Person  of  the  Mediator;  and  to  be  explicit,  we  must  notice 
the  Person,  that  the  name  of  God  may  not  be"  understood 
absolutely,  but  for  the  Father:  for  if  we  acknowledge  no  other 
to  be  God  than  the  Father,  it  will  be  a  manifest  degradation  of 
the  dignity  of  the  Son.  Whenever  mention  is  made  of  the 
Deity,  therefore,  there  must  no  opposition  be  admitted  between 
the  Father  and  the  Son,  as  though  the  name  of  the  true  God 
belonged  exclusively  to  the  Father.  For  surely  the  God,  who 
appeared  to  Isaiah,  was  the  only  true  God;  (o)  whom,  never- 
theless, John  affirms  to  have  been  Christ.  (/>)  He  likewise, 
who  by  the  mouth  of  Isaiah  declared  that  he  was  to  be  a 
rock  of  offence  to  the  Jews,  was  the  only  true  God;  (y)  whom 
Paul  pronounces  to  have  been  Christ.  (;•)  He  who  proclaims 
by  Isaiah,  "  As  I  live,  every  knee  shall  bow  to  me,"  (*)  is  the 
only  true  God;  but  Paul  applies  the  same  to  Christ,  (f)  To 
the  same  purpose  are  the  testimonies  recited  by  the  Apostle, 

(o)  Isaiah  vi.  1.  (/>)  John  xii.  41.  (?)  Isaiah  viii.  14. 

r)  Rom.  ii.  33.  (*)  Isaiah  xlv.  23.          (r)  Rom.  xiv.  11. 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  159 

"  Thou,  Lord,  hast  laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth  and  the 
heavens;"  and,  "  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship  him."  (v) 
These  ascriptions  belong  only  to  the  one  true  God;  whereas 
he  contends  that  they  are  properly  applied  to  Christ.  Nor 
is  there  any  force  in  that  cavil,  that  what  is  proper  to  God  is 
transferred  to  Christ,  because  he  is  the  brightness  of  his 
glory.  For,  since  the  name  of  Jehovah  is  used  in  each  of  these 
passages,  it  follows  that  in  respect  of  his  Deity  he  is  self- 
existent.  For,  if  he  is  Jehovah,  he  cannot  be  denied  to  be  the 
same  God,  who  in  another  place  proclaims  by  Isaiah,  "I 
am  the  first,  and  I  am  the  last;  and  beside  me  there  is  no 
God."  (w)  That  passage  in  Jeremiah  also  deserves  our  atten- 
tion; "The  gods  that  have  not  made  the  heavens  and  the 
earth,  even  they  shall  perish  from  the  earth,  and  from  under 
these  heavens:"  (#)  whilst  on  the  contrary  it  must  be  acknow- 
ledged that  the  Deity  of  the  Son  of  God  is  frequently  proved 
by  Isaiah  from  his  creation  of  the  world.  But  how  shall  the 
Creator,  who  gfres  existence  to  all,  not  be  self-existent,  but 
derive  his  essence  from  another?  For  whoever  asserts  that 
the  Son  owes  his  essence  to  the  Father,  denies  him  to  be  self- 
existent.  But  this  is  contradicted  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who 
gives  him  the  name  of  Jehovah.  Now  if  we  admit  the  whole 
essence  to  be  solely  in  the  Father,  either  it  will  be  divisible,  or 
it  will  be  taken  away  from  the  Son;  and  so  being  despoiled  of 
his  essence,  he  will  be  only  a  titular  god.  The  Divine  essence, 
according  to  these  triflers,  belongs  solely  to  the  Father,  inas- 
much as  he  alone  possesses  it,  and  is  the  author  of  the  essence 
of  the  Son.  Thus  the  Divinity  of  the  Son  will  be  a  kind  oi 
emanation  from  the  essence  of  God,  or  a  derivation  of  a  part 
from  the  whole.  Now  they  must  of  necessity  concede,  from 
their  own  premises,  that  the  Spirit  is  the  Spirit  of  the  Father 
only;  because,  if  he  be  a  derivation  from  the  original  essence, 
which  belongs  exclusively  to  the  Father,  he  cannot  be  accounted 
the  Spirit  of  the  Son:  which  is  refuted  by  the  testimony  oi 
Paul,  where  he  makes  him  common  to  Christ  and  the  Father. 
Besides,  if  the  Person  of  the  Father  be  expunged  from  the 
Trinity,  wherein  will  he  differ  from  the  Son  and  Spirit,  but  in 

(*)  Heb.  i.  10,  6.  Psalm  cii.  25.  xcvii.  7.       (TO)  Isaiah  xliv.  6.      (x)  Jer.  x.  U. 


160  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

being  himself  the  sole  Deity?  They  confess  that  Christ  is 
God,  and  yet  differs  from  the  Father.  Some  distinctive  cha- 
racter is  necessary  also  to  discriminate  the  Father  from  the 
Son.  They  who  place  this  in  the  essence,  manifestly  destroy 
the  true  Deity  of  Christ,  which  cannot  exist  independently  of 
the  essence,  that  is,  of  the  entire  essence.  The  Father  cer- 
tainly cannot  differ  from  the  Son,  unless  he  have  something 
peculiar  to  himself,  which  is  not  common  to  the  Son.  What 
will  they  find,  by  which  to  distinguish  him?  If  the  difference 
be  in  the  essence,  let  them  tell  us  whether  he  has  communi- 
cated the  same  to  the  Son.  But  this  could  not  be  done  par- 
tially; for  it  would  be  an  abomination  to  fabricate  a  demigod. 
Besides,  this  would  miserably  dismember  the  Divine  essence. 
The  necessary  conclusion  then  is,  that  it  is  entirely  and  per- 
fectly common  to  the  Father  and  the  Son.  And  if  this  be 
true,  there  cannot,  in  respect  of  the  essence,  be  any  difference 
between  them.  If  it  be  objected,  that  the  Father,  notwith- 
standing this  communication  of  his  essence,  r&nains  the  "only 
God,  with  whom  the  essence  continues;  then  Christ  must  be  a 
figurative  god,  a  god  in  appearance  and  name  only,  not  in 
reality;  because  nothing  is  more  proper  to  God  than  TO  BE, 
according  to  that  declaration,  "I  AM  hath  sent  me  unto 

you."  QO 

XXIV.  We  might  readily  prove,  from  many  passages,  the 
falsehood  of  their  assumption,  that  whenever  the  name  of  God 
is  mentioned  absolutely  in  the  Scripture,  it  means  only  the 
Father.  And  in  those  places  which  they  cite  in  their  own  de- 
fence, they  shamefully  betray  their  ignorance,  since  the  Son  is 
there  added;  from  which  it  appears,  that  the  name  of  God  is 
used  in  a  relative  sense,  and  therefore  is  particularly  restricted 
to  the  Person  of  the  Father.  Their  objection,  that  unless  the 
Father  alone  were  the  true  God,  he  would  himself  be  his  own 
Father,  is  answered  in  a  word.  For  there  is  no  absurdity  in 
the  name  of  God,  for  the  sake  of  dignity  and  order,  being 
peculiarly  given  to  him,  who  not  only  hath  begotten  of  him- 
self his  own  wisdom,  but  is  also  the  God  of  the  Mediator,  of 
which  I  shall  treat  more  at  large  in  its  proper  place.  For  since 

f  v)  Exoil.  iii.  1-1. 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  161 

Christ  was  manifested  in  the  flesh,  he  is  called  the  Son  of 
God,  not  only  as  he  was  the  eternal  Word  begotten  of  the 
Father  before  time  began,  but  because  he  assumed  the  person 
and  office  of  a  Mediator  to  unite  us  to  God.  And  since  they 
so  presumptuously  exclude  the  Son  from  Divine  honours,  I 
would  wish  to  be  informed,  when  he  declares  that  there  is  none 
good  but  the  one  God,  (2)  whether  he  deprives  himself  of  all 
goodness?  I  speak  not  of  his  human  nature,  lest  they  should 
object,  that  whatever  goodness  it  had,  it  was  gratuitously  con- 
ferred on  it:  I  demand,  whether  the  eternal  Word  of  God  be 
good,  or  not?  If  they  answer  in  the  negative,  they  are  suffi- 
ciently convicted  of  impiety:  and  if  in  the  affirmative,  they 
cut  the  throat  of  their  own  system.  But  though,  at  the  first 
glance,  Christ  seems  to  deny  himself  the  appellation  of  good, 
he  furnishes,  notwithstanding,  a  further  confirmation  of  our 
opinion.  For  as  that  is  a  title  which  peculiarly  belongs  to  the 
one  God,  forasmuch  as  he  had  been  saluted  as  good,  merely 
according  to  a  common  custom,  by  his  rejection  of  false  ho- 
nour, he  suggested  that  the  goodness,  which  he  possessed,  was 
divine.  I  demand  also,  when  Paul  affirms  that  God  alone  is 
immortal,  wise,  and  true,  («)  whether  he  thereby  degrades 
Christ  to  the  rank  of  those  who  are  mortal,  unwise,  and 
false?  Shall  not  he  then  be  immortal,  who  from  the  beginning 
was  life  itself,  and  the  giver  of  immortality  to  angels?  Shall 
not  he  be  wise,  who  is  the  eternal  Wisdom  of  God?  Shall 
not  he  be  true,  who  is  truth  itself?  I  demand  farther,  whether 
they  think  that  Christ  ought  to  be  worshipped?  For,  if  he 
justly  claims  this  as  his  right,  that  every  knee  should  bow 
before  him,  (£)  it  follows,  that  he  is  that  God,  who  in  the  law 
prohibited  the  worship  of  any  one  but  himself?  If  they  will 
have  this  passage  in  Isaiah,  u  I  am,  and  there  is  no  God  be- 
sides me,"  to  be  understood  solely  of  the  Father,  I  retort  this 
testimony  on  themselves;  since  we  see,  that  whatever  belongs 
to  God,  is  attributed  to  Christ.  Nor  is  there  any  room  for 
their  cavil,  that  Christ  was  exalted  in  the  humanity  in  which 
he  had  been  abased;  and  that,  with  regard  to  his  humanity, 
all  power  was  given  to  him  in  heaven  and  in  earth:  because,, 

(r)  Mat',,  xix.  17.  (<j)  1  Tim.  i.  17  (A)  Phil.  ii.  10. 

VOL.  I.  X 


Ida  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

although  the  regal  and  judicial  majesty  extends  to  the  whole 
Person  of  the  Mediator;  yet,  had  he  not  been  God  manifested 
in  the  flesh,  he  could  not  have  been  exalted  to  such  an  emi- 
nence, without  God  being  in  opposition  to  himself.  And  Paul 
excellently  determines  this  controversy,  by  informing  us  that 
he  was  equal  with  God,  before  he  abased  himself  under  the 
form  of  a  servant,  (c)  Now  how  could  this  equality  subsist, 
unless  he  had  been  that  God,  whose  name  is  JAH  and  JEHOVAH 
who  rides  on  the  cherubim,  whose  kingdom  is  universal  and 
everlasting?  No  clamour  of  theirs  can  deprive  Christ  of 
another  declaration  of  Isaiah:  "  Lo,  this  our  God,  we  have 
waited  for  him:"  (*/)  since  in  these  words  he  describes  the  ad- 
vent of  God  the  Redeemer,  not  only  for  the  deliverance  of  the 
people  from  exile  in  Babylon,  but  also  for  the  complete  restora- 
tion of  the  Church.  Nor  do  they  gain  any  thing  by  another 
cavil,  that  Christ  was  God  in  his  Father.  For  although  we 
confess,  in  point  of  order  and  degree,  that  the  Father  is  the 
fountain  of  the  Deity;  yet  we  pronounce  it  a  detestable  fig- 
ment, that  the  essence  belongs  exclusively  to  the  Father,  as 
though  he  were  the  author  of  the  Deity  of  the  Son:  because,  on 
this  supposition,  either  the  essence  would  be  divided,  or  Christ 
would  be  only  a  titular  and  imaginary  God.  If  they  admit 
that  the  Son  is  God,  but  inferior  to  the  Father;  then  in  him 
the  essence  must  be  begotten  and  created,  which  in  the  Father 
is  unbegotten  and  uncreated.  I  know  that  some  scorners 
ridicule  our  concluding  a  distinction  of  Persons  from  the 
words  of  Moses,  where  he  introduces  God  thus  speaking; 
"  Let  us  make  man  in  our  image."  (d)  Yet  pious  readers  per- 
ceive how  frigidly  and  foolishly  Moses  would  have  introduced 
this  conference,  if  in  the  one  God  there  had  not  subsisted  a 
plurality  of  Persons.  Now  it  is  certain  that  they,  whom  the 
Father  addressed,  were  uncreated;  but  there  is  nothing  un- 
created, except  the  one  God  himself.  Now,  therefore,  unless 
they  grant  that  the  power  to  create,  and  the  authority  to  com- 
mand, were  common  to  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Spirit; 
it  will  follow,  that  God  did  not  speak  thus  within  him- 
self, but  directed  his  conversation  to  some  exterior  agents. 

(c)  Phil.  ii.  6,  7.  (rf)  Isaiah  xxv.  9.  (e)  Gen,  i.  ^6. 


CHAP,  xiii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  16^ 

Lastly,  one  place  will  easily  remove  their  two  objections  at 
once.  For  when  Christ  himself  declares,  that  God  is  a  Spirit, 
it  would  be  unreasonable  to  restrict  this  solely  to  the  Father, 
as  though  the  Word  were  not  also  of  a  spiritual  nature.  But 
if  the  name  of  Spirit  is  equally  as  applicable  to  the  Son  as  to 
the  Father,  I  conclude  that  the  Son  is  comprehended  under 
the  indefinite  name  of  God.  Yet  he  immediately  subjoins, 
that  none  are  approved  worshippers  of  the  Father,  but  those 
who  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  (y)  Whence  follows 
another  consequence,  that,  because  Christ  performs  the  office 
of  a  Teacher,  in  a  station  of  inferiority,  h_e :  ascribes  the  name 
of  God  to  the  Father,  not  to  destroy  his  own  Deity,  but  by 
degrees  to  raise  us  to  the  knowledge  of  it. 

XXV.  But  they  deceive  themselves  in  dreaming  of  three  sepa- 
rate individuals,  each  of  them  possessing  a  part  of  the  Divine 
essence.  We  teach,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  that  there  is 
essentially  but  one  God;  and  therefore,  that  the  essence  of  both 
the  Son  and  the  Spirit  is  unbegotten.  But  since  the  Father 
is  first  in  order,  and  hath  of  himself  begotten  his  wisdom; 
therefore,  as  has  before  been  observed,  he  is  justly  esteemed 
the  original  and  fountain  of  the  whole  Divinity.  Thus  God, 
indefinitely,  is  unbegotten;  and  the  Father  also  is  unbegotten 
with  regard  to  his  Person.  They  even  foolishly  suppose,  that 
our  opinion  implies  a  quaternity;  whereas  they  are  guilty  of 
falsehood  and  calumny,  in  ascribing  to  us  a  figment  of  their 
own;  as  though  we  pretended  that  the  three  Persons  ar^  as 
so  many  streams  proceeding  from  one  essence:  when  it  is  evi- 
dent from  our  writings,  that  we  separate  not  the  Persons  from 
the  essence,  but,  though  they  subsist  in  it,  make  a  distinction 
between  them.  If  the  Persons  were  separated  from  the 
essence,  there  would  perhaps  be  some  probability  in  their 
argument;  but  then  there  would  be  a  trinity  of  Gods,  not  a 
trinity  of  Persons  contained  in  one  God.  This  solves  their 
frivolous  question,  whether  the  essence  concurs  to  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Trinity;  as  though  we  imagined  three  Gods  to  de- 
scend from  it.  Their  objection,  that  then  the  Trinity  would  be 
without  God,  is  equally  impertinent.  Because,  though  it 

(/)  John  iv.  24. 


164  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

concurs  not  to  the  distinction  as  a  part  or  member,  yet  the 
Persons  are  not  independent  of  it,  nor  separate  from  it:  for  the 
.^_.-  -^Father,  unless  he  were  God,  could  not  be  the  Father;  and  the 
x  /  Son  is  the  Son,  only  as  he  is  God.  Therefore  we  say,  that 
the  Deity  is  absolutely  self-existent:  whence  we  confess  also, 
that  the  Son,  as  God,  independently  of  the  consideration  of 
Person,  is  self-existent:  but  as  the  Son,  we  say,  that  he  is  of 
the  Father.  Thus  his  essence  is  unoriginated;  but  the  origin 
of  his  Person  is  God  himself.  And  indeed  the  orthodox 
writers,  who  have  written  on  the  Trinity,  have  referred  this 
name  only  to  tht  Persons;  since  to  comprehend  the  essence  in 
that  distinction,  were  not  only  an  absurd  error,  but  a  most 
gross  impiety.  For  it  is  evident  that  those,  who  maintain  that 
the  Trinity  consists  in  a  union  of  the  Essence,  the  Son,  and  the 
Spirit,  annihilate  the  essence  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Spirit: 
otherwise  the  parts  would  be  destroyed  by  being  confounded 
together:  which  is  a  fault  in  every  distinction.  Finally,  if 
the  words  Father  and  GoJwere  synonymous,  if  the  Father  were 
the  author  of  the  Deity,  nothing  would  be  left  in  the  Son,  but  a 
mere  shadow;  nor  would  the  Trinity  be  any  other  than  a  con- 
junction of  the  one  God  with  two  created  things. 

XXVI.  Their  objection,  that  Christ,  if  he  be  properly  God, 
is  not  rightly  called  the  Son  of  God,  has  already  been  answered: 
for  when  a  comparison  is  made  between  one  Person  and  another, 
the  word  God  is  not  used  indefinitely,  but  is  restricted  to  the 
Father,  as  being  the  fountain  of  the  Deity,  not  with  regard  to 
the  essence,  as  fanatics  falsely  pretend,  but  in  respect  of  order. 
This  is  the  sense  in  which  we  ought  to  understand  that  declara- 
tion of  Christ  to  his  Father:  "  This  is  life  eternal,  that  they 
might  know  thee  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
thou  hast  sent."  (,§•)  For  speaking  in  the  capacity  of  Mediator, 
he  holds  an  intermediate  station  between  God  and  men;  yet 
without  any  diminution  of  his  majesty.  For,  although  he 
abased  himself,  yet  he  lost  not  his  glory  with  the  Father,  which 
was  hidden  from  the  world.  Thus  the  Apostle  to  the  He- 
brews, (/*)  though  he  acknowledges  that  Christ  was  made  for 
a  short  time  inferior  to  the  angels,  yet,  nevertheless,  hesi- 

(g)  John  xvii.  .^.  (!,)  Heh.  i.  10.  ii.  9. 


CHAP,  xiii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  165 

tates  not  to  assert,  that  he  is  the  eternal  God,  who  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  earth.  We  must  remember,  therefore,  that, 
whenever  Christ,  in  the  capacity  of  Mediator,  addresses  the 
Father,  he  comprehends,  under  the  name  of  God,  the  Divinity 
which  belongs  also  to  himself.  Thus  when  he  said  to  his 
Apostles,  "  I  go  unto  the  Father,  for  my  Father  is  greater 
than  I,"  (?)  he  attributes  not  to  himself  a  secondary  divinity, 
as  if  he  were  inferior  to  the  Father  with  respect  to  the  eternal 
essence;  but  because,  having  obtained  the  glory  of  heaven,  he 
gathers  together  the  faithful  to  a  participation  of  it  with  him; 
he  represents  the  Father  to  be  in  a  station  superior  to  himself, 
just  as  the  illustrious  perfection  of  the  splendour,  which 
appears  in  heaven,  excels  that  degree  of  glory  which  was 
visible  in  him  during  his  incarnate  state.  For  the  same  reason 
Paul  says  in  another  place,  that  Christ  "  shall  deliver  up  the 
kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father,  that  God  may  be  all  in 
all."  (-£)  Nothing  would  be  more  absurd  than  to  deny  perpe- 
tual duration  to  the  Deity  of  Christ.  Now  if  he  will  never 
ce.'se  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  but  will  remain  for  ever  the  same 
as  he  has  been  from  the  beginning,  it  follows,  that  by  the  name 
Father  is  intended  the  one  sole  Divine  essence,  which  is  com- 
mon to  them  both.  And  it  is  certain  that  Christ  descended  to 
us,  in  order  that,  exalting  us  to  the  Father,  he  might  at  the 
same  time  exalt  us  to  himself  also,  as  being  one  with  the 
Father.  It  is  therefore  neither  lawful  nor  right,  to  restrict 
the  name  of  God  exclusively  to  the  Father,  and  to  deny  it  to 
the  Son.  For  even  on  this  very  account  John  asserts  him  to 
be  the  true  God,  (/)  that  no  one  might  suppose,  that  he  possess- 
ed only  a  secondary  degree  of  Deity  inferior  to  the  Father. 
And  I  wonder  what  can  be  the  meaning  of  these  fabricators 
of  new  gods,  when  after  confessing  that  Christ  is  the  true  God, 
they  immediately  exclude  him  from  the  Deity  of  the  Father: 
as  though  there  could  be  any  true  God  but  one  alone,  or  as 
though  a  transfused  divinity  were  any  thing  but  a  novel  fiction. 
XXVII.  Their  accumulation  of  numerous  passages  from 
Irenseus,  where  he  asserts  the  Father  of  Christ  to  be  the  only 
and  eternal  God  of  Israel,  is  a  proof  either  of  shameful 

(/)  John  xiv.  28.  (k}  I  Cor.  xv.  24.  (/)  1  John  v.  20. 


J6(i  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  r. 

ignorance,  01  of  consummate  wickedness.  For  they  ought  to 
have  considered,  that  that  holy  man  was  then  engaged  in  a 
controversy  with  some  madmen,  who  denied  that  the  Father 
of  Christ  was  the  same  God  that  had  spoken  by  Moses  and 
the  Prophets,  but  maintained  that  he  was  I  know  not  what 
sort  of  phantasm,  produced  from  the  corruption  of  the  world. 
His  only  object  therefore  is,  to  shew  that  no  other  God  is 
revealed  in  the  Scripture  than  the  Father  of  Christ,  and 
that  it  is  impious  to  imagine  any  other;  and  therefore  we 
need  not  wonder  at  his  frequently  concluding,  that  there 
never  was  any  other  God  of  Israel  than  he  who  was  preached 
by  Christ  and  his  Apostles.  So  now  on  the  other  hand,  when 
a  different  error  is  to  be  opposed,  we  shall  truly  assert,  that  the 
God  who  appeared  formerly  to  the  patriarchs,  was  no  other  than 
Christ.  If  it  be  objected  that  it  was  the  Father,  we  are  pre- 
pared to  reply,  that,  while  we  contend  for  the  divinity  of  the 
Son,  we  by  no  means  reject  that  of  the  Father.  If  the  reader 
attends  to  this  design  of  Irenjeus,  all  contention  will  cease.. 
Moreover,  the  whole  controversy  is  easily  decided  by  the  sixth 
chapter  of  the  third  book,  where  the  good  man  insists  on  this 
one  point;  That  he  who  is  absolutely  and  indefinitely  called 
God  in  the  Scripture  is  the  only  true  God;  but  that  the  name 
of  God  is  given  absolutely  to  Christ.  Let  us  remember,  that 
the  point  at  issue,  as  appears  from  the  whole  treatise,  and  par- 
ticularly from  the  forty-sixth  chapter  of  the  second  book,  was 
this:  That  the  appellation  of  Father  is  not  given  in  an  enig- 
matical and  parabolical  sense  to  one  who  is  not  truly  God. 
Besides,  in  another  place  he  contends,  that  the  Son  is  called 
God,  as  well  as  the  Father,  by  the  Prophets  and  Apostles.  He 
afterwards  states  how  Christ,  who  is  Lord,  and  King,  and 
God,  and  Judge  of  all,  received  power  from  him  who  is  God  of 
all:  and  that  is  with  relation  to  the  subjection,  in  which  he  was 
humbled  even  to  the  death  of  the  cross.  And  a  little  after  he 
affirms,  that  the  Son  is  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  who 
gave  the  law  by  the  hand  of  Moses,  and  appeared  to  the  patri- 
archs. Now  if  any  one  pretends  that  Irenaeus  acknowledges 
the  Father  alone  as  the  God  of  Israel,  I  shall  reply,  as  is 
cler.rly  maintained  by  the  same  writer,  that  Christ  is  one  and 
the  same:  as  also  he  applies  to  him  the  prophecy  of  Habakkuk; 


CHAP,  xiii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  167 

"  God  shall  come  from  the  south."  To  the  same  purpose  is 
what  we  find  in  the  ninth  chapter  of  the  fourth  book;  "  There- 
fore Christ  himself  is  with  the  Father  the  God  of  the  living." 
And  in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  the  same  book  he  states,  thai 
Abraham  believed  in  God,  inasmuch  as  Christ  is  the  Creator 
of  heaven  and  earth,  and  the  only  God. 

XXVIII.  Their  pretensions  to  the  sanction  of  Tertullian 
are  equally  unfounded:  for,  notwithstanding  the  occasional 
harshness  and  obscurity  of  his  mode  of  expression,  yet  he  un- 
equivocally teaches  the  substance  of  the  doctrine,  which  we  are 
defending:  that  is,  that  whereas  there  is  one  God,  yet  by  dis- 
pensation or  economy  there  is  his  Word:  that  there  is  but  one 
God  in  the  unity  of  the  substance;  but  that  the  unity,  by  a 
mysterious  dispensation,  is  disposed  into  a  trinity:  that  there 
are  three,  not  in  condition,  but  in  degree;  not  in  substance, 
but  in  form;  not  in  power,  but  in  order.  He  says,  indeed,  that 
he  maintains  the  Son  to  be  second  to  the  Father,  but  he  applies 
this  only  to  the  distinction  of  the  Persons.  He  says  some- 
where, that  the  Son  is  visible:  but  after  having  stated  argu- 
ments on  both  sides  he  concludes  that,  as  the  Word,  he  is 
invisible.  Lastly,  his  assertion  that  the  Father  is  designated 
by  his  Person,  proves  him  to  be  at  the  greatest  distance  from 
the  notion  which  we  are  refuting.  And  though  he  acknow- 
ledges no  other  God  than  the  Father,  yet  the  explanations 
which  he  gives  in  the  immediate  context  shew  that  he  speaks 
not  to  the  exclusion  of  the  Son,  when  he  denies  the  existence 
of  any  other  God  than  the  Father;  and  that  therefore  the 
unity  of  Divine  government  is  not  violated  by  the  distinction 
of  persons.  And  from  the  nature  and  design  of  his  argument 
it  is  easy  to  gather  the  meaning  of  his  words.  For  he  contends, 
in  opposition  to  Praxeas,  that  although  God  is  distinguished 
into  three  Persons,  yet  neither  is  there  a  plurality  of  gods,  nor 
is  the  unity  divided.  And  because,  according  to  the  erroneous 
notion  of  Praxeas,  Christ  could  not  be  God,  without  being  the 
Father,  therefore  Tertullian  bestows  so  much  labour  upon  the 
distinction.  His  calling  the  Word  and  Spirit  a  portion  of  th-e 
whole,  though  a  harsh  expression,  yet  is  excusable;  since  it 
has  no  reference  to  the  substance,  but  only  denotes  the  dispo- 
sition and  economy,  which  belong  solely  to  the  Persons, 


168  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

according  to  the  testimony  of  Tcrtullian  himself.  Hence  also 
that  question,  "  How  many  Persons  suppose  you  that  there 
an.,  O  most  perverse  Praxeas,  but  as  many  as  there  are 
names?"  So  a  little  after,  "  That  they  may  believe  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  both  in  their  names  and  Persons."  These  argu- 
ments, I  conceive,  will  suffice  to  refute  the  impudence  of  those 
who  make  use  of  the  authority  of  Tertullian  in  order  to  deceive 
the  minds  of  the  simple. 

XXIX.  And  certainly  whoever  will  diligently  compare 
the  writings  of  the  fathers,  he  will  find  in  Irenseus  nothing 
different  from  what  was  advanced  by  others,  who  succeeded 
him.  Justin  Martyr  is  one  of  the  most  ancient;  and  he 
agrees  with  us  in  every  point.  They  may  object  that  the 
Father  of  Christ  is  denominated  the  one  God  bv  him  as  well 
as  by  the  rest.  The  same  is  asserted  also  by  Hilary,  and 
even  in  harsher  terms;  he  says,  that  eternity  is  in  the  Father; 
but  does  this  imply  a  denial  of  the  Divine  essence  to  the 
Son?  On  the  contrary,  he  had  no  other  design  than  to  main- 
tain the  same  faith  which  we  hold.  Nevertheless  they  are  not 
ashamed  to  cull  out  mutilated  passages,  in  order  to  induce  a 
belief  that  he  patronised  their  error.  If  they  wish  any  authority 
to  be  attached  to  their  quotation  of  Ignatius,  let  them  prove 
that  the  Apostles  delivered  any  law  concerning  Lent,  and 
similar  corruptions:  for  nothing  can  be  more  absurd  than  the 
impertinencies,  which  have  been  published  under  the  name  of 
Ignatius.  Wherefore  their  impudence  is  more  intolerable, 
who  disguise  themselves  under  such  false  colours  for  the  pur- 
pose of  deception.  Moreover,  the  consent  of  antiquity  mani- 
festly appears  from  this  circumstance,  that  in  the  Nicene 
Council  Arius  never  dared  to  defend  himself  by  the  authority 
of  any  approved  writer:  and  not  one  of  the  Greek  or  Latin 
fathers,  who  were  there  united  against  him,  excused  himself 
us  at  all  dissenting  from  his  predecessors.  With  regard  to 
Augustine,  who  experienced  great  hostility  from  these  dis- 
turbers, his  diligent  examination  of  all  the  writings  of  the 
earlier  fathers,  and  his  respectful  attention  to  them,  need 
not  be  mentioned.  If  he  differs  from  them  in  the  smallest 
particulars,  he  assigns  the  reasons  which  oblige  him  to  dissent 
from  them.  On  this  argument  also,  if  he  finds  any  thing 


QHAP.  xiii.j       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  169 

ambiguous  or  obscure  in  others,  he  never  conceals  it.  Yet 
he  takes  it  for  granted,  that  the  doctrine,  which  those  men 
oppose,  has  been  received  without  controversy  from  the  re- 
motest antiquity:  and  yet  that  he  was  not  uninformed  of 
what  others  had  taught  before  him,  appears  even  from  one 
word  in  the  first  book  of  his  Treatise  on  the  Christian  Doctrine, 
where  he  says,  that  unity  is  in  the  Father.  Will  they  pretend 
that  he  had  then  forgotten  himself?  But  he  elsewhere  vindi- 
cates himself  from  this  calumny,  where  he  calls  the  Father  the 
fountain  of  the  whole  Deity,  because  he  is  from  no  other; 
wisely  considering  that  the  name  of  God  is  especially  ascribed 
to  the  Father,  because  unless  the  original  be  from  him,  it  is 
impossible  to  conceive  of  the  simple  unity  of  the  Deity.  These 
observations,  I  hope,  will  be  approved  by  the  pious  reader, 
as  sufficient  to  refute  all  the  calumnies,  with  which  Satan  has 
hitherto  laboured  to  pervert  or  obscure  the  purity  of  this  doc- 
trine. Finally,  I  trust  that  the  whole  substance  of  this  doctrine 
has  been  faithfully  stated  and  explained,  provided  my  readers 
set  bounds  to  their  curiosity,  and  are  not  unreasonably  fond  of 
tedious  and  intricate  controversies.  For  I  have  not  the  least 
expectation  of  giving  satisfaction  to  those,  who  are  pleased  with 
an  intemperance  of  speculation.  I  am  sure  I  have  used  no 
artifice  in  the  omission  of  any  thing,  from  a  supposition  that 
it  would  make  against  me.  But  studying  the  edification  of 
the  Church,  I  have  thought  it  better  not  to  touch  upon  many 
things  which  would  be  unnecessarily  burdensome  to  the  reader, 
without  yielding  him  any  profit.  For  to  what  purpose  is  it  to 
dispute,  whether  the  Father  be  always  begetting?  For  it  is 
foolish  to  imagine  a  continual  act  of  generation,  since  it  is  evi- 
dent that  three  Persons  have  subsisted  in  God  from  all  eternity. 
»  f- 


VOL.  I,  Y 


170  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  LBOOK  i. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  True  God  clearly  distinguished  in  the  Scripture  from  all 
fctitious  ones  by  the  Creation  of  the  World. 

ALTHOUGH    Isaiah  («*)   brings  a  just  accusation  of  stu- 
pidity against  the   worshippers  of   fictitious    deities,   for  not 
having    learned,  from  the  foundations  of  the    earth,  and  the 
circuit  of  the  heavens,  who  was  the  true  God;  yet  such  is  the 
slowness  and  dulness  of  our  minds,  as  to  induce  a  necessity  for 
a  more   express   exhibition  of  the  true  God,  lest  the  faithful 
should  decline  to  the  fictions  of  the  heathens.   For  since  the 
most   tolerable    description    given    by    the  philosophers,   that 
God  is  the  soul  of  the  world,  is  utterly  vain  and  worthless,  we 
require  a  more  familiar  knowledge  of  him,  to  prevent  us  from 
wavering   in   perpetual  uncertainty.   Therefore  he   hath    been 
pleased  to  give   us  a  history  of  the  creation>   on  which    the 
faith    of   the  Church    might  rest,  without   seeking  after  any 
other   God,  than  him   whom   Moses  has  represented   as  the 
former  and  builder  of  the  world.  The  first  thing  specified  in 
this  history  is  the  time,  that  by  a  continued  series  of  years 
the  faithful  might  arrive  at  the  first  original  of  the  human  race, 
and  of  all  things.  This   knowledge   is  eminently   useful,  not 
only  to   contradict  the   monstrous  fables  formerly  received  in 
Egypt  and  other  countries,  but  also  to  give  us  clearer  views 
of  the  eternity  of  God,  and  to  fill  us  with  greater  admiration 
of  it.  Nor  ought  we  to  be  moved  with  that  profane  sneer,  that 
it  is  marvellous  that  God  did  not  form  the  design  of  creating 
heaven  and  earth  at  an  earlier  period,  but  suffered  an  immea- 
surable duration  to  pass  away  unemployed,  since  he  could  have 
made  them  many  thousands  of  ages  before:  whereas  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  world  now  advancing  to  its  last  end  has  not 
yet  reached  six  thousand  years.    For  the  reason  why  God  de- 
ferred it  so  long,  it  would  be  neither  lawful  nor  expedient  to 
inquire;    because,    if  the  human  mind   strive  to  penetrate  it, 
it  will  fail  a  hundred  times  in  the  attempt:  nor  indeed  could 
there  be  any  utility  in  the  knowledge  of  that  which  God  him- 
self, in  order  to  prove  the  modesty  of  our  faith,  hath  pur- 

(??0  Isaiah  xl.  21. 


CHAP.  xiv.J       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  171 

posely  concealed.  [Great  shrewdness  was  discovered  by  a ' 
certain  pious  old  man,  who,  when  some  scoffer  ludicrously 
inquired  what  God  had  been  doing  before  the  creation  of  the 
world,  replied  that  he  had  been  making  hell  for  over-curious 
menTjThis  admonition,  no  less  grave  than  severe,  should 
repress  the  wantonness  which  stimulates  many,  and  impels 
them  to  perverse  and  injurious  speculations.  Lastly,  let  us 
remember,  that  God,  who  is  invisible,  and  whose  wisdom, 
power,  and  justice,  are  incomprehensible,  hath  placed  before 
us  the  history  of  Moses,  as  a  mirror  which  exhibits  his  lively 
image.  For  as  eyes,  either  dim  through  age,  or  dull  through 
any  disease,  see  nothing  distinctly  without  the  assistance  of 
spectacles;  so  in  our  inquiries  after  God,  such  is  our  imbecility, 
without  the  guidance  of  the  Scripture,  we  immediately  lose 
our  way.  But  those  who  indulge  their  presumption,  since 
they  are  now  admonished  in  vain,  will  perceive  too  late,  by 
their  horrible  destruction,  how  much  better  it  would  have 
been  to  look  up  to  the  secret  counsels  of  God  with  reverential 
awe,  than  to  disgorge  their  blasphemies  to  darken  the  heaven. 

Augustine  iustly  complains,  that  it  is  an  offence  against  God, 

i  r  "     ~~^ 

to  inquire  for  any  cause  of  things  superior  to.  his  will.   He 

elsewhere  prudently  cautions  us,  that  it  is  as  absurd  to  dispute 
concerning  an  infinite  duration  of  time,  as  concerning  an 
infinite  extent  of  place.  However  extensive  the  circuit  of  the 
heavens,  yet  certainly  it  has  some  dimensions.  Now  if  any 
one  should  expostulate  with  God,  that  the  vacuity  of  space  f<? 
a  hundred  times  larger,  would  not  such  arrogance  be  detested 
by  all  pious  persons?  The  same  madness  is  chargeable  on  those 
who  censure  the  inaction  of  God,  for  not  having  according  to 
their  wishes  created  the  world  innumerable  ages  before.  To 
gratify  their  inordinate  curiosity,  they  desire  to  pass  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  world;  as  though,  in  the  very  ample  circum- 
ference of  heaven  and  earth,  we  were  not  surrounded  by 
numerous  objects  capable  of  absorbing  all  our  senses  in  their 
inestimable  splendour;  as  though,  in  the  course  of  six  thou- 
sand years,  God  had  not  given  us  lessons  sufficient  to  exercise 
our  minds  in  assiduous  meditation  on  them.  Then  let  us 
cheerfully  remain  within  these  barriers  with  which  God  hath 
been  pleased  to  circumscribe  us,  and  as  it  were  to  confine  our 


1T2  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

minds,  that  they  might  not  be  wandering  in  the  boundless  re- 
gions of  uncertain  conjecture. 

II.  To  the  same  purpose  is  the  narration  of  Moses,  that  the 
work  of  God  was  completed,  not  in  one  moment,  but  in  six 
days.  For  by  this  circumstance  also,  we  are  called  away  from 
all  false  deities  to  the  only  true  God,  who  distributed  his  work 
into  six  days,  that  it  might  not  be  tedious  to  us  to  occupy  the 
whole  of  life  in  the  consideration  of  it.  For  though,  whither- 
soever we  turn  our  eyes,  they  are  constrained  to  behold  the 
works  of  God;  yet  we  see  how  transient  our  attention  is,  and 
if  we  are  touched  with  any  pious  reflections,  how  soon  they 
leave  us  again.  Here  also  human  reason  murmurs,  as  though 
such  progressive  works  were  inconsistent  with  the  power  of 
Deity;  till  subdued  to  the  obedience  of  faith  it  learns  to  ob- 
serve that  rest,  to  which  the  sanctification  of  the  seventh  day 
invites  us.  Now  in  the  order  of  those  things  we  must  dili- 
gently consider  the  paternal  love  of  God  towards  the  human 
race,  in  not  creating  Adam,  before  he  had  enriched  the  earth 
with  an  abundant  supply  of  every  thing  conducive  to  his  hap- 
piness. For  had  h«  placed  him  in  the  earth  while  it  remained 
barren  and  vacant,  had  he  given  him  life  before  there  was  any 
light,  he  would  have  appeared  not  very  attentive  to  his  benefit. 
Now  when  he  has  regulated  the  motions  of  the  sun  and  the  stars 
for  the  service  of  man,  replenished  the  earth,  the  air,  and  the 
waters  with  living  creatures,  and  caused  the  earth  to  produce 
an  abundance  of  all  kinds  of  fruits  sufficient  for  sustenance; 
he  acts  the  part  cf  a  provident  and  sedulous  father  of  a  family, 
and  displays  his  wonderful  goodness  towards  us.  If  the  reader 
will  more  attentively  consider  with  himself  these  things,  which 
I  only  hint  at  as  I  proceed,  he  will  be  convinced  that  Moses  was 
an  authentic  witness  and  herald  of  the  one  God,  the  Creator 
of  the  world.  I  pass  over  what  I  have  already  stated,  that  he 
not  only  speaks  of  the  mere  essence  of  God,  but  also  exhibits 
to  us  his  eternal  Wisdom  and  his  Spirit:  in  order  that  we  may 
not  dream  of  any  other  God  except  him  who  will  be  known 
in  that  express  image. 

III.  But  before  I  begin  to  enlarge  on  the  nature  of  man, 
something  must  be  said  concerning  angels.   Because,  though 
Moses  in  the  history  of  the  creation,  accommodating  himself 


CHAP,  xiv.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  173 

to  the  ignorance  of  the  common  people,  mentions  no  other 
works  of  God,  than  such  as  are  visible  to  our  eyes;  yet  when 
he  afterwards  introduces  angels  as  ministers  of  God,  we  may 
easily  conclude,  that  he  is  their  Creator,  whom  they  obey  and 
in  whose  service  they  are  employed.  Though  Moses  there- 
fore, speaking  in  a  popular  manner,  does  not,  in  the  beginning 
of  his  writings,  immediately  enumerate  the  angels  among  the 
creatures  of  God;  yet  nothing  forbids  our  here  making  a  plain 
and  explicit  statement  of  those  things,  which  the  Scripture 
teaches  in  other  places:  because,  if  we  desire  to  know  God 
from  his  works,  such  an  excellent  and  noble  specimen  should 
by  no  means  be  omitted.  Besides,  this  point  of  doctrine  is  very 
necessary  for  the  confutation  of  many  errors.  The  excellence 
of  the  angelic  nature  has  so  dazzled  the  minds  of  many,  that  they 
have  supposed  them  to  be  injured,  if  they  were  treated  as  mere 
creatures,  subject  to  the  government  of  one  God.  Hence  they 
were  falsely  pretended  to  possess  a  kind  of  divinity.  Manichaeus 
has  also  arisen,  with  the  sect  which  he  founded,  who  imagined 
to  himself  two  original  principles,  God  and  the  devil;  and 
attributed  to  God  the  origin  of  all  good  things,  but  referred 
evil  natures  to  the  production  of  the  devil.  If  our  minds  were 
bewildered  in  this  wild  and  incoherent  system,  we  should  not 
leave  God  in  full  possession  of  his  glory  in  the  creation  of  the 
world.  For  since  nothing  is  more  peculiar  to  God  than  eter- 
nity and  self-existence,  does  not  the  ascription  of  this  to  the 
devil  dignify  him  with  a  title  of  divinity?  Now  where  is  the 
omnipotence  of  God,  if  such  an  empire  be  conceded  to  the 
devil,  as  that  he  can  execute  whatever  he  pleases,  notwith- 
standing the  aversion  of  the  Divine  will,  or  opposition  of  the 
Divine  power?  [But  the  only  foundation  of  the  system  of 
Manichseus,  that  it  is  unlawful  to  ascribe  to  a  good  God  the 
creation  of  any  evil  thing,  in  no  respect  affects  the  orthodox 
faith,  which  admits  not  that  any  thing  in  the  universe  is  evil 
in  its  nature:  since  neither  the  depravity  and  wickedness  of 
men  and  devils,  nor  the  sins  which  proceed  from  that  source, 
are  from  mere  nature,  but  from  a  corruption  of  natureTjfnor 
if  om  the  beginning  has  any  thing  existed,  in  which  God  has 
not  given  a  specimen  both  of  his  wisdom  and  of  his  justice. 
To  oppose  these  perverse  notions,  it  is  necessary  to  raise  our 

*^<  •'' 


174  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

minds  higher  than  our  eyes  can  reach.  And  it  is  very  pro- 
bable that  it  was  with  this  design,  when,  in  the  Nicene  creed, 
God  is  called  the  Creator  of  all  things,  that  particular  mention 
is  made  of  things  invisible.  Yet  it  shall  be  my  study  to  observe 
the  limit  which  the  rule  of  piety  prescribes,  lest,  by  indulging 
an  unprofitable  degree  of  speculation,  I  should  lead  the  reader 
astray  from  the  simplicity  of  the  faith.  And  certainly,  since 
the  Spirit  invariably  teaches  us  in  a  profitable  manner,  but 
with  regard  to  things  of  little  importance  to  edification,  either 
is  wholly  silent,  or  but  lightly  and  cursorily  touches  on  them; 
it  is  also  our  duty  cheerfully  to  remain  in  ignorance  of  what 
it  is  not  for  our  advantage  to  know. 

IV.  Since  angels  are  ministers  of  God  appointed  to  execute 
his  commands,  («)  that  they  are  also  his  creatures,  ought  to  be 
admitted  without  controversy.  And  does  it  not  betray  obsti- 
nacy rather  than  diligence,  to  raise  any  contention  concerning 
the  time  or  the  order  in  which  they  were  created?  Moses 
narrates,  that  "the  heavens  and  the  earth  were  finished,  and 
all  the  host  of  them:"  (0)  to  what  purpose  is  it  anxiously  to 
inquire,  on  what  day,  besides  the  stars  and  the  planets,  the 
other  more  concealed  host  of  heaven  began  to  exist?  Not  to 
be  too  prolix,  let  us  remember  on  this  point  (as  on  the  whole 
doctrine  of  religion),  to  observe  one  rule  of  modesty  and 
sobriety;  which  is,  not  to  speak,  or  think,  or  even  desire  to 
know,  concerning  obscure  subjects,  any  thing  beyond  the  in- 
formation given  us  in  the  divine  word.  Another  rule  to  be 
followed  is,  in  reading  the  Scripture,  continually  to  direct  our 
attention  to  investigate  and  meditate  upon  things  conducive  to 
edification;  not  to  indulge  curiosity  or  the  study  of  things 
unprofitable.  And  since  the  Lord  hath  been  pleased  to  in- 
struct us,  not  in  frivolous  questions,  but  in  solid  piety,  the  fear 
of  his  name,  true  confidence,  and  the  duties  of  holiness,  let  us 
content  ourselves  with  that  knowledge.  Wherefore,  if  we  wish 
to  be  truly  wise,  we  must  forsake  the  vain  imaginations  pro- 
pagated by  triflers  concerning  the  nature,  orders,  and  multi- 
tude of  angels.  I  know  that  these  things  are  embraced  by 
many  persons  with  greater  avidity,  and  dwelt  upon  with  more 

Psalm  ciii.  20.  (o)  Gen.  H.  I. 


CHAP,  xiv.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  175 

pleasure,  than  such  things  as  are  in  daily  use.  But  if  it  be 
not  irksome  to  be  the  disciples  of  Christ,  it  should  not  be  irk- 
some to  follow  that  method  which  he  has  prescribed.  Then 
the  consequence  will  be,  that  content  with  his  discipline,  we 
shall  not  only  leave,  but  also  abhor,  those  unprofitable  specula- 
tions from  which  he  calls  us  away.  No  man  can  deny  that 
great  subtlety  and  acuteness  is  discovered  by  Dionysius,  who- 
ever he  was,  in  many  parts  of  his  treatise  on  the  Celestial 
Hierarchy:  but  if  any  one  enters  into  a  critical  examination 
of  it,  he  will  find  the  greatest  part  of  it  to  be  mere  babbling. 
But  the  duty  of  a  theologian  is,  not  to  please  the  ear  with 
empty  sounds,  but  to  confirm  the  conscience  by  teaching  things 
which  are  true,  certain,  and  profitable.  A  reader  of  that  book 
would  suppose  that  the  author  was  a  man  descended  from 
heaven,  giving  an  account  of  things  that  he  had  not  learned 
from  the  information  of  others,  but  had  seen  with  his  own 
eyes.  But  Paul,  who  was  "  caught  up  to  the  third  heaven,"  (/>) 
not  only  has  told  us  no  such  things,  but  has  even  declared, 
that  it  is  not  lawful  for  men  to  utter  the  secret  things  which 
he  had  seen.  Taking  our  leave,  therefore,  of  this  nugatory 
wisdom,  let  us  consider,  from  the  simple  doctrine  of  the  Scrip- 
ture, what  the  Lord  hath  been  pleased  for  us  to  know  con- 
cerning his  angels. 

V.  We  are  frequently  informed  in  the  Scripture,  that 
angels  are  celestial  spirits,  whose  ministry  and  service  God 
uses  for  the  execution  of  whatever  he  hath  decreed:  and  hence 
this  name  is  given  to  them,  because  God  employs  them  as 
messengers  to  manifest  himself  to  men.  Other  appellations 
also,  by  which  they  are  distinguished,  are  derived  from  a 
similar  cause.  They  are  called  Hosts,  because  as  life-guards 
they  surround  their  prince,  aggrandizing  his  majesty,  and  ren- 
dering it  conspicuous;  and,  like  soldiers,  are  ever  attentive  to 
the  signal  of  their  leader;  and  are  so  prepared  for  the  per 
formance  of  his  commands,  that  he  has  no  sooner  signified  his 
will,  than  they  are  ready  for  the  work,  or  rather  are  actuallv 
engaged  in  it.  Such  a  representation  of  the  throne  of  God  i? 
exhibited  in  the  magnificent  descriptions  of  the  Prophets,  IMK 

(/»)  2  Cor.  xii.  1,«cc. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THL  [BOOK  T. 

particularly  of  Daniel;  where  he  says,  when  God  had  ascended 
the  judgment-seat,  that  "  thousand  thousands  ministered  unto 
him,  and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood  before  him."(y) 
Since  by  their  means  the  Lord  wonderfully  exerts  and  declares 
the  power  and  strength  of  his  hand,  thence  they  are  denomi- 
nated Powers,  (r)  Because  by  them  he  exercises  and  adminis- 
ters his  government  in  the  world,  therefore  they  are  called 
sometimes  Principalities,  sometimes  Powers,  sometimes  Domi- 
nions. Lastly,  because  the  glory  of  God  in  some  measure 
resides  in  them,  they  have  also,  for  this  reason,  the  appellation 
of  Thrones.  (s)  Although  on  this  last  name  I  would  affirm  no- 
thing: because  a  different  interpretation  is  equally  or  even 
more  suitable.  But,  omitting  this  name,  the  Holy  Spirit  often 
uses  the  former  ones,  to  magnify  the  dignity  of  the  angelic 
ministry.  Nor  indeed  is  it  right  that  no  honour  should  be 
paid  to  those  instruments,  by  whom  God  particularly  exhibits 
the  presence  of  his  power.  Moreover,  they  are  more  than 
once  called  gods;  because  in  their  ministry,  as  in  a  mirror, 
they  give  us  an  imperfect  representation  of  divinity.  Though  I 
am  pleased  with  the  interpretation  of  the  old  writers,  on  those 
passages  where  the  Scripture  records  the  appearance  of  an 
angel  of  God  to  Abraham,  Jacob,  Moses,  and  others,  (#)  that 
Christ  was  that  angel;  yet  frequently,  where  mention  is  made 
of  angels  in  general,  this  name  is  given  to  them.  Nor  should 
this  surprise  us:  for  if  that  honour  be  given  to  princes  and 
governors,  because,  in  the  performance  of  their  functions,  they 
are  vicegerents  of  God  the  supreme  King  and  Judge;  (y)  there 
is  far  greater  reason  for  its  being  paid  to  angels,  in  whom 
the  splendour  of  the  divine  glory  is  far  more  abundantly 
displayed. 

VI.  But  the  Scripture  principally  insists  on  what  might  con- 
duce most  to  our  consolation,  and  the  confirmation  of  our  faith; 
that  the  angels  are  the  dispensers  and  administrators  of  the 
Divine  beneficence  towards  us.  And  therefore  it  informs  us, 
that  they  guard  our  safety,  undertake  our  defence,  direct  our 
ways,  and  exercise  a  constant  solicitude  that  no  evil  befal  us. 

(7)  Daniel  vii.  10.  (r)  Ephes.  i.  21.  (*)  Col.  i.  16. 

(t)  Gen.  xviii.  2.  xxxii.  1,  28.     Josh.  v.  13-     Judges  vi.  11.  xiii.  3, 22. 

(t>)  Psalm  Ixxxii.  P. 


CHAP,  xiv.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  177 

The  declarations  are  universal,  belonging  primarily  to  Christ 
the  head  of  the  Church,  and  then  to  all  the  faithful.  "He 
shall  give  his  angels  charge  over  thee,  to  keep  thee  in 
all  thy  ways.  They  shall  bear  thee  up  in  their  hands,  lest 
thou  dash  thy  foot  against  a  stone."  (w)  Again,  "  The  angel 
of  the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them  that  fear  him,  and 
delivereth  them."  (x)  In  these  passages  God  shews  that  he 
delegates  to  his  angels  the  protection  of  those  whom  he  hath 
undertaken  to  preserve.  Accordingly,  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
consoles  the  fugitive  Hagar,  and  commands  her  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  her  mistress,  (y)  Abraham  promises  his  servant  that 
an  angel  should  be  the  guide  of  his  journey,  (z)  Jacob,  in  his 
benediction  of  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  prays  that  the  angel 
of  the  Lord,  by  whom  he  had  been  redeemed  from  all  evil, 
would  cause  them  to  prosper,  (a)  Thus  an  angel  was  appointed 
to  protect  the  camp  of  the  Israelites;  (£)  and  whenever  it 
pleased  God  to  deliver  them  from  the  hands  of  their  enemies, 
he  raised  up  avengers  by  the  ministry  of  angels,  (c)  And 
finally,  to  supersede  the  necessity  of  adducing  more  examples, 
angels  ministered  to  Christ  and  attended  him  in  all  his  diffi- 
culties; they  announced  his  resurrection  to  the  women,  and  his 
glorious  advent  to  the  disciples,  (d}  And  thus  in  the  discharge 
of  their  office  as  our  protectors,  they  contend  against  the  devil 
and  all  our  enemies,  and  execute  the  vengeance  of  God  on 
those  who  molest  us:  as  we  read  that  an  angel  of  God,  to 
deliver  Jerusalem  from  a  siege,  slew  a  hundred  and  eighty- 
five  thousand  men  in  the  camp  of  the  king  of  Assyria  in  one 
night.  0) 

VII.  But  whether  each  of  the  faithful  has  a  particular  angel 
assigned  him  for  his  defence,  I  cannot  venture  certainly  to  affirm. 
When  Daniel  introduces  the  angel  of  the  Persians  and  the 
angel  of  the  Greeks,  (y)  he  clearly  signifies  that  certain  angels 
are  appointed  to  preside  over  kingdoms  and  provinces.  Christ 
also,  when  he  says  that  the  angels  of  children  always  behold 

(<w)  Psalm  xci.  11,  12.     (x)  Psalm  xxxiv.  7.        (  v)  Gen.  xvi.  9. 
(z)  Gen.  xxiv.  7.  («)  Gen.  xlviii.  16.          (6)  Exod.  xiv.  19.  xxiii.  20. 

(c)  Judges  ii.  1.  vi.ll.  xiii.  3,  &c. 

(rf)  Matt.  iv.  11.  Luke  xxii.  43.  Matt,  xxviii.  5.  Luke  xxiv.  4,  5.  Acts  i.  10. 
(c)  2  Kings  xix.  35.  Isaiah  sxxvii.  36.  (/)  Daniel  X.  13,  20.  3*.  1. 

VOL.  I.  7, 


178  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

the  face  of  the  Father,  (_§<•)  suggests,  that  there  are  certain 
angels  who  are  charged  with  their  safety.  But  I  know  not 
whether  this  justifies  the  conclusion,  that  every  one  of  them 
has  his  particular  guardian  angel.  Of  this  indeed  we  may  be 
certain,  that  not  one  angel  only  has  the  care  of  every  one  of 
us;  but  that  they  all  with  one  consent  watch  for  our  salvation. 
For  it  is  said  of  all  the  angels  together,  that  they  rejoice  more 
over  one  sinner  turned  to  repentance,  than  over  ninety  and 
nine  just  persons  who  have  persevered  in  their  righteousness.  (A) 
Of  more  than  one  angel  it  is  said,  that  they  carried  the  soul  ot 
Lazarus  into  the  bosom  of  Abraham,  (z)  Nor  is  it  in  vain  that 
Elisha  shews  his  servant  so  many  fiery  chariots,  which  were 
peculiarly  assigned  to  him  for  his  protection.  (/£)  There  is  one 
place  which  seems  clearer  than  the  rest  in  confirmation  ot 
this  point.  For  when  Peter,  on  his  liberation  from  prison, 
knocked  at  the  door  of  the  house  in  which  the  brethren  were 
assembled,  as  they  could  not  suppose  it  to  be  Peter  himself,  they 
said  it  was  his  angel.  (/)  This  conclusion  seems  to  have  arisen  in 
their  minds  from  the  common  opinion  that  each  of  the  faithful 
has  his  guardian  angel  assigned  him.  But  here  it  may  also  be 
replied,  that  nothing  prevents  this  being  understood  of  any  one 
of  the  angels,  to  whom  the  Lord  might  have  committed  the  care 
of  Peter  on  that  occasion,  and  who  yet  might  not  be  his  per- 
petual guardian:  as  it  is  vulgarly  imagined  that  every  person 
has  two  angels,  a  good  one  and  a  bad  one,  according  to  the 
heathen  notion  of  different  genii.  But  it  is  not  worth  while 
anxiously  to  investigate,  what  it  little  concerns  us  to  know. 
For  if  any  one  be  not  satisfied  with  this,  that  all  the  orders  oi 
the  celestial  army  watch  for  his  safety;  I  see  not  what  advan- 
tage he  can  derive  from  knowing  that  he  has  one  particular 
angel  given  him  for  his  guardian.  But  those  who  restrict  to 
one  angel  the  care  which  God  exercises  over  every  one  of  us, 
do  a  great  injury  to  themselves,  and  to  all  the  members  of  the 
Church:  as  though  those  auxiliaries  had  been  promised  in 
vain,  who  by  surrounding  and  defending  us  on  all  sides  con- 
tribute to  increase  our  courage  in  the  conflict. 

VIII.  Let  those,  who  venture  to  determine  concerning  the 

(^)  Matt,  xviii.  10.  (/))  Luke  xv.  7.  (/)  Luke  xvi.  22. 

(/•)  2  Kinjfs  vi.  17  <7)  Acts  xH.  15. 


CHAP,  xiv.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  179 

multitude  and  orders  of  the  angels,  examine  on  what  founda- 
tion their  opinions  rest.  Michael,  I  confess,  is  called  in  Daniel 
"  the  great  prince,"  and  in  Jude  "  the  archangel."  (m)  And 
Paul  informs  us  that  it  will  be  an  archangel,  who  with  the 
sound  of  a  trumpet  shall  summon  men  to  judgment,  (jn)  But 
who  from  these  passages  can  determine  the  degrees  of  honour 
among  the  angels,  distinguish  the  individuals  by  their  respec- 
tive titles,  and  assign  to  every  one  his  place  and  station?  For 
the  two  names  which  are  found  in  the  Scripture,  Michael  and 
Gabriel,  and  the  third,  if  you  wish  to  add  it  from  the  history 
of  Tobias,  (o)  may  appear,  from  their  significations,  to  be  given 
to  angels  on  account  of  our  infirmity;  though  I  would  rather 
leave  this  undetermined.  With  respect  to  their  numbers,  we 
hear,  from  the  mouth  of  Christ,  of  many  legions;  (/?)  from 
Dani,el,  of  many  myriads:  (^)  the  servant  of  Elisha  saw  many 
chariots;  and  their  being  said  to  encamp  round  about  them 
that  fear  God,  (r)  is  expressive  of  a  great  multitude.  It  is 
certain  that  spirits  have  no  form:  and  yet  the  Scripture,  on 
account  of  the  slender  capacity  of  our  minds,  under  the  names 
of  cherubim  and  seraphim,  represents  angels  to  us  as  having 
wings,  to  prevent  our  doubting  that  they  will  always  attend 
with  incredible  celerity,  to  afford  us  assistance  as  soon  as  our 
cases  require  it:  as  though  the  lightning  darted  from  heaven 
were  to  fly  to  us  with  its  accustomed  velocity.  All  further  in- 
quiries on  both  these  points,  we  shall  consider  as  belonging 
to  that  class  of  mysteries,  the  full  revelation  of  which  if, 
deferred  to  the  last  day.  Wherefore  let  us  remember  that  we 
ought  to  avoid  too  much  curiosity  of  research,  and  presumptiw! 
of  language. 

IX.  But  this,  which  is  called  in  question  by  some  restless 
men,  must  be  received  as  a  certain  truth,  that  angels  are 
ministering  spirits  whose  service  God  uses  for  the  protec- 
tion of  his  people,  and  by  whom  he  dispenses  his  benefits 
among  mankind,  and  executes  his  other  works.  It  was  the 
opinion  of  the  ancient  Sadducees  indeed,  that  the  term  angels 
signified  nothing  but  the  motions  which  God  inspires  into 

(m)  Daniel  xii.  1.    Jude,  ver.  9.  (n)  1  Thess.  iv.  <6. 

(o)  Daniel  *.  13,  21.  viii.  16.  ix.  21.  Luke  i.  19,  26.  Tob.  iii.  17  v.  5. 
(p)  Matt.  xxvi.  53.  (7)  Daniel  vii.  10.  (r)  Psalm  xxxiv.  7. 


180  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

men,  or  those  specimens  which  he  gives  of  his  power.  13 uv 
this  foolish  notion  is  repugnant  to  so  many  testimonies  of 
Scripture,  thai  ir  is  surprising  how  such  gross  ignorance  could 
have  been  tolerated  among  that  people.  For  to  omit  the 
places  before  cited,  where  mention  is  made  of  thousands  and 
legions  of  angels,  where  joy  is  attributed  to  them,  where  they 
are  said  to  sustain  the  faithful  in  their  hands,  to  carry  their 
souls  into  rest,  to  b.hold  the  face  of  the  Father,  (*)  and  the 
like;  there  are  others  which  most  clearly  evince,  that  they 
are  spirits  possessing  an  actual  existence  and  their  own  pecu- 
liar nature.  For  the  declarations  of  Stephen  and  Paul,  that 
tin  law  was  given  by  the  hand  of  angels;  (?)  and  of  Christ, 
that  the  elect,  after  the  resurrection,  shall  be  like  angels;  that 
the  day  of  judgment  is  not  known  even  to  the  angels;  that  he 
thc-n  will  come  with  his  holy  angels;  (v)  however  tortured, 
must  necessarily  be  thus  understood.  Likewise,  when  Paul 
charges  Timothy,  before  Christ  and  the  elect  angels,  to  keep 
his  precepts;  (w)  he  intends,  not  unsubstantial  qualities  or 
inspirations,  but  real  spirits.  Nor  otherwise  is  there  any  mean- 
ing in  what  we  read  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  that  Christ 
is  made  more  excellent  than  the  angels,  that  the  world  is  not 
subject  to  them,  that  Christ  assumed  not  their  nature  but  the 
nature  of  man;  (#)  unless  we  understand  that  there  are  happy 
spirits  to  whom  these  comparisons  may  apply.  And  the 
author  of  the  same  epistle  explains  himself,  where  he  places 
angels  and  the  souls  of  the  faithful  together  in  the  kingdom 
of  God.  (z/)  Besides,  we  have  already  quoted,  that  the  angels 
of  children  always  behold  the  face  of  God;  that  we  are  always 
defended  by  their  protection;  that  they  rejoice  for  our  safety; 
that  they  admire  the  manifold  grace  of  God  in  the  church;  (z) 
and  are  subject  to  Christ  as  their  head,  (a)  The  same  truth 
is  proved  by  their  having  so  often  appeared  to  the  patriarchs 
in  the  form  of  men,  conversed  with  them,  and  been  enter- 
tained by  them.  And  Christ  himself,  on  account  of  the  pre- 

(s)  Luke  xv.  10.  iv.  10.  xvi  22.  Psalm  xci.  12.  Matt.  iv.  6.  xviii.  10. 

(«)  Acts  vii.  53.    Gal.  iii.  19. 

(v)  Matt.  xxii.  30.  xxiv.  36.  xxv.  31.     Luke  ix.  26.  (<u>)  1  Tim.  V-  21. 

far)  Heb.  i.  4.  ii.  16.  (.y)  Heb.  xji.  22,  23.  <z)  1  Peter  i.  12- 

fa)  Heb.  i.  6. 


CHAP,  xiv.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  181 

eminence  which  he  obtains  in  the  capacity  of  Mediator,  is  called 
an  angel.  (6)  I  have  thought  proper  cursorily  to  touch  on  this 
point,  in  order  to  fortify  the  simple  against  those  foolish  and 
absurd  notions,  which  were  disseminated  by  Satan  many  ages 
ago,  and  are  frequently  springing  up  afresh. 

X.  It  remains  for  us  to  encounter  the  superstition,  which  ge- 
nerally insinuates  itself  into  men's  minds  when  angels  are  said 
to  be  the  ministers  and  dispensers  of  all  our  blessings.  For 
human  reason  soon  falls  into  an  opinion,  that  there  is  no  honour 
that  ought  not  to  be  paid  to  them.  Thus  it  happens  that  what 
belongs  solely  to  God  and  Christ,  is  transferred  to  them.  Thus 
we  see,  that  for  some  ages  past  the  glory  of  Christ  has  in  many 
ways  been  obscured;  while  angels  have  been  loaded  with  extra- 
vagant honours  without  the  authority  of  the  word  of  God.  And 
among  the  errors  which  we  combat  in  the  present  day,  there 
is  scarcely  one  more  ancient  than  this.  For  even  Paul  appears 
to  h  ve  had  a  great  controversy  with  some,  who  exalted  angels 
in  such  a  manner  as  almost  to  degrade  Christ  to  an  inferior 
sir  .ion.  Hence  the  solicitude  with  which  he  maintains,  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  not  only  that  Christ  is  to  be  esteemed 
above  angels,  but  also  that  he  is  the  author  of  all  blessings  to 
them;  (c)  in  order  that  we  may  not  forsake  him  and  turn 
to  them,  who  are  not  even  sufficient  for  themselves,  but  draw 
from  the  same  fountain  as  we  do.  Since  the  splendour  of  the 
Divine  majesty,  therefore,  is  eminently  displayed  in  them, 
there  is  nothing  more  natural  than  for  us  to  fall  down  with 
astonishment  in  adoration  of  them;  and  to  attribute  every  thing 
to  them  which  exclusively  belongs  to  God.  Even  John,  in 
the  Revelation,  confesses  this  to  have  happened  to  himself; 
but  adds  at  the  same  time,  that  he  was  thus  answered:  "  See 
thou  do  it  not:  I  am  thy  fellow-servant:  worship  God."  (d) 

XI.  But  this  danger  we  shall  happily  avoid,  if  we  consider 
why  God  is  accustomed  to  provide  for  the  safety  of  the  faithful, 
and  to  communicate  the  gifts  of  his  beneficence  by  means  of 
angels,  rather  than  by  himself  to  manifest  his  own  power 
without  their  intervention.  He  certainly  does  this  not  from 
necessity,  as  though  he  were  unable  to  do  without  them;  for 

(6)  Mai.  iii.  I.          (c)  Col.  i.  16,  20.          (</)  Rev.  xix.  10.  xxii.  9,  ft. 


182  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

whenever  he  pleases  he  passes  them  by,  and  performs  his  work 
.with  a  mere  nod  of  his  power;  so  far  is  he  from  being  indebted 
to  their  assistance  for  relieving  him  in  any  difficulty.  This 
therefore  conduces  to  the  consolation  of  our  imbecility,  that 
we  may  want  nothing  that  can  either  raise  our  minds  to  a 
good  hope,  or  confirm  them  in  security.  This  one  thing  in- 
deed ought  to  be  more  than  sufficient  for  us,  that  the  Lord 
declares  himself  to  be  our  Protector.  But  while  we  see  our- 
selves encompassed  with  so  many  dangers,  so  many  annoy- 
ances, such  various  kinds  of  enemies;  such  is  our  weakness 
and  frailty,  that  we  may  sometimes  be  filled  with  terror,  or 
fall  into  despair,  unless  the  Lord  enables  us  according  to  our 
capacity  to  discover  the  presence  of  his  grace.  For  this  rea- 
son he  promises,  not  only  that  he  will  take  care  of  us  himself, 
but  also  that  we  shall  have  innumerable  life-guards,  to  whom 
he  hath  committed  the  charge  of  our  safety;  and  that  as  long 
as  we  are  surrounded  by  their  superintendence  and  protection, 
whatever  danger  may  threaten,  we  are  placed  beyond  the 
utmost  reach  of  evil.  I  confess  indeed,  that  it  is  wrong  for  us, 
after  that  simple  promise  of  the  protection  of  God  alone,  still 
to  be  looking  around  to  see  from  what  quarter  our  aid  may 
come.  But  since  the  Lord  from  his  infinite  clemency  and 
goodness  is  pleased  to  assist  this  our  weakness,  there  is  no 
reason  why  we  should  neglect  this  great  favour  which  he 
shews  us.  We  have  an  example  of  this  in  the  servant  of 
Elisha,  who  when  he  saw  that  the  mountain  was  besieged  by 
an  army  of  Syrians,  (e)  and  that  no  way  of  escape  was  left, 
was  filled  with  consternation,  as  though  himself  and  his  master 
had  been  ruined.  Then  Elisha  prayed  that  God  would  open 
his  eyes,  and  he  immediately  saw  the  mountain  full  of  horses 
and  chariots  of  fire;  that  is,  of  a  multitude  of  angels  who 
were  to  guard  him  and  the  Prophet.  Encouraged  by  this 
vision  he  came  to  himself  again,  and  was  able  to  look  clown 
with  intrepidity  on  the  enemies,  the  sight  of  whom  before  had 
almost  deprived  him  of  life. 

XII.  Therefore,   whatever  is   said  concerning  the  ministry 
f»f  angels,  let  us  direct  it  to  this  end,  that,    overcoming  ajl 

(f)  2  Kinsrs  vi.  15,  16,  17. 


QHAP.  xiv.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  183 

diffidence,  our  hope  in  God  may  be  more  firmly  established. 
For  the  Lord  hath  provided  these  guards  for  us,  that  we  may 
not  be  terrified  by  a  multitude  of  enemies,  as  though  they 
could  prevail  in  opposition  to  his  assistance,  but  may  have  re- 
course to  the  sentiment  expressed  by  Elisha,  "There  are  more 
for  us  than  against  us."  How  preposterous  is  it  then,  that  we 
should  be  alienated  from  God  by  angels,  who  are  appointed  for 
this  very  purpose,  to  testify  that  his  aid  is  more  especially  present 
with  us.  But  they  do  alienate  us  from  him,  unless  they  lead  us 
directly  to  him,  to  regard  him,  call  on  him,  and  celebrate  him  as 
our  only  helper;  unless  they  are  considered  by  us  as  his  hands, 
which  apply  themselves  to  do  nothing  without  his  direction; 
unless  they  attach  us  to  Christ  the  only  Mediator,  to  depend 
entirely  on  him,  to  lean  upon  him,  to  aspire  to  him,  and  to 
rest  satisfied  in  him.  For  what  is  described  in  the  vision  of 
Jacob,  (/")  ought  to  be  firmly  fixed  in  our  minds,  that  the 
angels  descend  to  the  earth  to  men,  and  ascend  from  earth  to 
heaven,  by  a  ladder  above  which  stands  the  Lord  of  hosts. 
This  implies,  that  it  is  only  through  the  intercession  of 
Christ,  that  we  are  favoured  with  the  ministry  of  angels,  as  he 
himself  affirms:  "  Hereafter  ye  shall  see  heaven  open,  and  the 
angels  descending  upon  the  Son  of  man."  (£•)  Therefore  the 
servant  of  Abraham,  having  been  commended  to  the  care  of 
an  angel,  (A)  does  not  therefore  invoke  him  for  his  aid,  but 
trusting  to  that  committal,  pours  out  his  prayers  before  the 
Lord,  and  entreats  him  to  display  his  mercy  towards  Abraham. 
For  as  God  does  not  make  them  the  ministers  of  his  power 
and  goodness,  in  order  to  divide  his  glory  with  them;  so 
neither  does  he  promise  his  assistance  in  their  ministry,  that 
we  may  divide  our  confidence  between  them  and  him.  Let  us 
take  our  leave  therefore  of  that  Platonic  philosophy,  which 
seeks  access  to  God  by  means  of  angels,  and  worships  them 
in  order  to  render  him  more  propitious  to  us;  which  super- 
stitious and  curious  men  have  endeavoured  from  the  beginning, 
and  even  to  this  day  persevere  in  attempting,  to  introduce  into 
our  religion. 

XIII.  The  design  of  almost  every  thing  that  the  Scriptnrc- 

\f}  Gen.  xxviii.  12.        C?)  John  i.  51-          (//>  Gen,  xxiv.  7,  12,  27.  53. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

teaches  concerning  devils,  is  that  we  may  be  careful  to  guard 
against  their  insidious  machinations,  and  may  provide  our- 
selves with  such  weapons  as  are  sufficiently  firm  and  strong 
to  repel  the  most  powerful  enemies.  For  when  Satan  is  called 
the  god  and  prince  of  this  world,  (z)  the  strong  man  armed,  (£) 
the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  (/)  a  roaring  lion;  (rn)  these 
descriptions  only  tend  to  make  us  more  cautious  and  vigilant, 
and  better  prepared  to  encounter  him.  This  is  sometimes 
signified  in  express  words.  For  Peter,  after  having  said  that 
"  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh  about  seeking  whom  he 
may  devour,"  immediately  subjoins  an  exhortation  to  u  resist 
him  steadfast  in  the  faith.1'  And  Paul,  having  suggested  that 
"  we  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  blood,  but  against  princi- 
palities, against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of 
this  world,  against  spiritual  wickedness,"  (n)  immediately  com- 
mands us  to  put  on  suitable  armour  for  so  great  and  so  peril- 
ous a  conflict.  Wherefore  having  been  previously  warned  that 
we  are  perpetually  threatened  by  an  civ.  my,  and  an  enemy 
desperately  bold  and  extremely  strong,  skilled  in  every  artifice, 
indefatigable  in  diligence  and  celerity,  abundantly  provided  with 
all  kinds  of  weapons,  and  most  expert  in  the  science  of  war, 
let  us  make  it  the  grand  object  of  our  attention,  that  we  suffer 
not  ourselves  to  be  oppressed  with  slothfulness  and  inactivity, 
but  on  the  contrary  arousing  and  collecting  all  our  courage, 
be  ready  for  a  vigorous  resistance:  and  as  this  warfare  is  ter- 
minated only  by  death,  let  us  encourage  ourselves  to  per- 
severance. But  above  all,  conscious  of  weakness  and  ignorance, 
let  us  implore  the  assistance  of  God,  nor  attempt  any  thin^ 
but  in  reliance  on  him:  since  he  alone  can  supply  us  with  wis- 
dom, and  strength.,  and  courage,  and  armour. 

XIV.  But  the  more  to  excite  and  urge  us  to  such  conduct, 
the  Scripture  announces  that  there  are  not  one  or  two,  or 
a  few  enemies,  but  great  armies  who  wage  war  against  us. 
For  even  Mary  Magdalene  is  said  to  have  been  delivered  from 
seven  demons  by  whom  she  was  possessed;  (o)  and  Christ  de- 
clares it  to  be  a  common  case,  that  if  you  leave  the  place  open 

(i)  2  Cor.  iv.  4.    John  xii.  31.  (*)  Mutt.  xii.  29.  Luke  si.  21. 

(/)  Ephes.  ii.  2.  (w)  1  Peter  v.  8,  9.  (n)  Ephes.  vi.  12,  &c. 

00  Mark  xvi.  9. 


GHAP.  xiv.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  185 

for  the  re -entrance  of  a  daemon  who  has  once  been  ejected,  he 
associates  with  himself  seven  spirits  more  wicked  still,  and 
returns  to  his  vacant  possession.  (j&)  Indeed  one  man  is  said  to 
have  been  possessed  by  a  whole  legion.  (^)  By  these  passages 
therefore,  we  are  taught,  that  we  have  to  contend  with  an  in- 
finite multitude  of  enemies;  lest  despising  their  paucity  we 
should  be  more  remiss  to  encounter  them,  or  expecting  some- 
times an  intermission  of  hostility  should  indulge  ourselves  in 
idleness.  But  when  one  Satan  or  devil  is  frequently  mentioned 
in  the  singular  number,  it  denotes  that  principality  of  wicked- 
ness which  opposes  the  kingdom  of  righteousness.  For  as  the 
Church  and  society7  of  saints  have  Christ  as  their  head;  so  the 
faction  of  the  impious,  and  impiety  itself,  are  represented  to  us 
with  their  prince  wl^o  exercises  the  supreme  power  amon,;; 
them.  Which  is  the  meaning  of  that  sentence,  "  Depart,  ye 
cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels."  (r) 

XV.  It  also  ought  to  stimulate  us  to  a  perpetual  war  with 
the  devil,  that  he  is  every  where  called  God's  adversary  and 
ours.  For  if  we  feel  the  concern  which  we  ought  to  feel  for 
the  glory  of  God,  we  shall  exert  all  our  power  against  him 
who  attempts  the  extinction  of  it.  If  we  are  animated  by  a 
becoming  zeal  for  defending  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  we  must 
necessarily  have  an  irreconcileable  war  with  him  who  conspires 
its  ruin.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  are  solicitous  for  our  salva- 
tion, we  ought  to  make  neither  peace  nor  truce  with  him  who 
assiduously  plots  its  destruction.  Now  such  is  the  description 
given  of  him  in  the  third  chapter  of  Genesis,  where  he  seduces 
man  from  the  obedience  owed  by  him  to  God,  so  that  he  at 
once  robs  God  of  his  just  honour,  and  precipitates  man  into 
ruin.  Such  also  is  he  described  in  the  Evangelists,  where  he 
is  called  an  enemy,  and  said  to  sow  tares  in  order  to  corrupt 
the  seed  of  eternal  life.  (*•)  In  short,  the  testimony  of  Christ 
concerning  him,  that  he  was  a  murderer  and  a  liar  from  the 
beginning,  (f)  we  find  verified  in  all  his  actions.  For  he 
opposes  divine  truth  with  lies;  obscures  the  light  with  shades 
of  darkness;  involves  the  minds  of  men  in  errors;  stirs  up 

(/>)  Matt.  xii.  43—45.        (9)  Luke  viii.  30.        (r)  Matt.  xxv.  41. 
(*)  Matt.  xiii.  25,  28.         (<)  John  viii.  44. 
VOL.  I.  2  A 


186  INSTITUTES  OF  THK  [BOOK  i. 

animosities,  and  kindles  contentions  and  wars:  and  all  for  the 
purpose  of  subverting  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  plunging  man- 
kind with  himself  into  eternal  destruction.  Whence  it  is  evi- 
dent, that  he  is  naturally  depraved,  vicious,  malignant,  and 
mischievous.  For  there  must  be  extreme  depravity  in  that 
mind  which  is  bent  on  opposing  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
salvation  of  men.  And  this  is  suggested  by  John  in  his  epistle, 
when  he  says,  that  "  he  sinneth  from  the  beginning."  For  he 
intends,  that  he  is  the  author,  conductor,  and  principal  con- 
triver of  all  wickedness  and  iniquity. 

XVI.  But  since  the  devil  was  created  by  God,  we  must 
remark,  that  this  wickedness  which  wx:  attribute  lu  his  nature 
is  not  from  creation,  but  from  corruption.  For  whatever  evil 
quality  he  has,  he  has  acquired  by  his  defection  and  fall.  And 
of  this  the  Scripture  apprises  us;  lest  believing  him  to  have 
come  from  God,  just  as  he  now  is,  we  should  ascribe  to  God 
himself  that  which  is  in  direct  opposition  to  him.  For  this  reason 
Christ  declares,  that  Satan,  "  when  he  speaketh  a  lie,  speaketh 
of  his  own;  (t>)  and  adds  the  reason,  "  because  he  abode  not 
in  the  truth."  When  he  says  that  he  abode  not  in  the  truth, 
he  certainly  implies  that  he  had  once  been  in  it:  and  when  he 
calls  him  the  father  of  a  lie,  he  precludes  his  imputing  to  God 
the  depravity  of  his  nature  which  originated  wholly  from  him- 
self. Though  these  things  are  delivered  in  a  brief  and  rather 
obscure  manner,  yet  they  are  abundantly  sufficient  to  vindicate 
the  majesty  of  God  from  eveiy  calumny.  And  what  does  it 
concern  us  to  know,  respecting  devils,  cither  more  particulars 
or  for  any  other  purpose?  Some  persons  are  displeased  that 
the  Scripture  does  not  gives  us  in  various  places  a  distinct  and 
detailed  account  of  their  fall,  with  its  cause,  manner,  time,  and 
nature.  But  these  things  being  nothing  to  us,  it  was  better  for 
them,  if  not  to  be  passed  over  in  total  silence,  yet  certainly 
to  be  touched  on  but  lightly;  because  it  would  ill  comport  with 
the  dignity  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  feed  curiosity  with  vain  and 
unprofitable  histories:  and  we  perceive  it  to  have  been  the 
design  of  the  Lord,  to  deliver  nothing  in  his  sacred  oracles, 
which  we  might  not  learn  to  our  edification.  That  we  ourselves 

<>lm  viii.  44 


CHAP,  xiv.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  187 

therefore  may  not  dwell  upon  unprofitable  subjects,  let  us  be 
content  with  this  concise  information  respecting  the  nature  of 
devils;  that  at  their  creation  they  were  originally  angels  ot 
God,  but  by  degenerating;  have  ruined  themselves  and  become 

'  J  .  r-j  O  ... 

the  instruments  of  perdition  to  others.  This  being  useful  to  be 
known,  it  is  clearly  stated  by  Peter  and  Jude;  "God,"  say 
they,  "  spared  not  the  angels  that  sinned,  and  kept  not  their 
first  estate,  but  left  their  own  habitation."  (jc1)  And  Paul,  men- 
tioning the  elect  angels,  (?/)  without  doubt  tacitly  implies  that 
there  are  reprobate  ones. 

XVII.  The  discord  and  contention,  which  we  say  Satan 
maintains  against  God,  ought  to  be  understood  in  a  manner  con- 
sistent with  a  firm  persuasion,  that  he  can  do  nothing  without 
God's  will  and  consent.  For  we  read  in  the  history  of  Job,  that 
he  presented  himself  before  God  to  receive  his  commands,  and 
dared  not  to  undertake  any  enterprise  without  having  obtained 
his  permission.  (2)  Thus  also  when  Ahab  was  to  be  deceived,  he 
undertook  to  be  a  lying  spirit  in  the  mouth  of  all  the  prophets; 
and  being  commissioned  by  Gcjd,  he  performed  it.  (a)  For  this 
reason  he  is  also  called  the  "  evil  spirit  from  the  Lord,"  who 
tormented  Saul,  (£)  because  he  was  employed  as  a  scourge  to 
punish  the  sins  of  that  impious  monarch.  And  elsewhere  it  is 
recorded,  that  the  plagues  were  inflicted  on  the  Egyptians  by 
the  "  evil  angels."  (c)  According  to  these  particular  examples, 
Paul  declares  generally,  that  the  blinding  of  unbelievers  is  the 
work  of  God,  (</)  whereas  he  has  before  called  it  the  operation 
of  Satan.  It  appears  then  that  Satan  is  subject  to  the  power 
of  God,  and  so  governed  by  his  control,  that  he  is  com- 
pelled to  render  obedience  to  him.  Now  when  we  say  that 
Satan  resists  God,  and  that  his  works  are  contrary  to  the 
works  of  God,  we  at  the  same  time  assert,  that  this  repugnance 
and  contention  depend  on  the  Divine  permission,  jL^sgeak, 
now,  not  of  the  will  or  the  endeavour,  but  only  of  the  effect. 
For  the  devil,  being  naturally  wicked,  has  not  the  least  inclina- 
tion towards  obedience  to  the  Divine  will,  but  is  wholly  bent 
on  insolence  and  rebellion.  It  therefore  arises  from  himself 

(x)  2  Peter  ii.  4.   Jude,  ver.  6.        (j>)  1  Tim.  v.  21.        (2)  Job  L  6.  ii.  1. 
(a)  1  Kings  xxii.  30,  &c.  (6)  1  Sam.  xvi.  14.  xviii.  10. 

(c)  Psalm  Ixxviii.  49.  (d)  2  Thess.  ii.  9, 11. 


188  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

and  his  wickedness,  that  he  opposes  God  with  all  his  desires 
and  purposes.  This  depravity  stimulates  him  to  attempt  those 
things  which  he  thinks  the  most  opposed  to  God.  But  since 
God  holds  him  tied  and  bound  with  the  bridle  of  his  power, 
he  executes  only  those  things  which  are  divinely  permitted: 
and  thus,  whether  he  will  or  not,  he  obeys  his  Creator,  being 
constrained  to  fulfil  any  service  to  which  he  impels  him. 

XVIII.  While  God  directs  the  courses  of  unclean  spirits 
hither  and  thither  at  his  pleasure,  he  regulates  this  govern- 
ment in  such  a  manner,  that  they  exercise  the   faithful  with 
fighting,  attack  them  in  ambuscades,  harass    them  with  incur- 
sions, push  them  in  battles,  and  frequently  fatigue  them,  throw 
them  into  confusion,  terrify  them,  and  sometimes  wound  them, 
yet  never  conquer  or  overwhelm  them;  but  subdue  and  lead 
captive  the  impious,  tyrannise  over  their  souls  and  bodies,  and 
abuse  them  like  slaves  by  employing  them  in  the  perpetration 
of   every    enormity.    The    faithful,    in    consequence  of  being 
harassed  by  such  enemies,  are  addressed  with   the  following, 
and    other    similar    exhortation^:     "  Give    not    place    to     the 
devil."    (e)  "  Your    adversary    the   devil,  as   a  roaring  lion, 
vvalketh   about,  seeking   whom  he  may  devour?   whom  resist 
steadfast  in  the  faith."  (y)  Paul  confesses  that  he  himself  was 
not  free  from  this  kind  of  warfare,  when  he  declares  that  as  a 
remedy  to  subdue  pride,  "  the  messenger  of  Satan  was  given 
to  him  to  buffet  him."  (#•)  This  exercise  then   is   common  to 
all  the  children  of  God.  But   as  the  promise  respecting  the 
breaking  of  the  head  of  Satan  (A)  belongs  to  Christ  and  all  his 
members  in    common,    I   therefore  deny  that  the  faithful  can 
eyjr  be    conquered  or    overwhelmed  by  him.  They  are  fre- 
quently filled  with  consternation,  but  recover  themselves  again; 
they  fall  by  the  violence  of  his  blows,  but  are  raised  up  again; 
they    are    wounded,  but    not   mortally;    finally,    they    labour 
through  their  whole  lives  in  such  a  manner,  as  at  last  to  obtain 
the    victory.    This    however  is   not  to  be  restricted  to  each 
single  action.  For  we  know  that,  by  the  righteous  vengeance 
of  God,  David  was  for  a  time  delivered  to  Satan,  that  by  his 
instigation  he  might  number  the  people;  (z)  nor  is  it  without 

(0  Ephes,  iv.  27.  (./)  1  Peter  v.  8.  (,$•)  2  Cor.  xii.  7 

(A)  Gen.  ii'i.  15.  (i)  2  Sam.  xxiv.  1.    1  Chron.  xxi.  1. 


CHAP,  xiv.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  180 

reason  that  Paul  admits  a  hope  of  pardon  even  for  those  who 

may  have  been  entangled  in  the  snares  of  the  devil.  (^)  There- 

fore the  same  Apostle  shews,  in  another  place,  that  the  promise 

before  cited  is  begun  in  this  life,  where  we  must  engage  in  the 

conflict;  and  that  after  the  termination  of  the  conflict  it  will 

be    completed.    "  And   the  God  of  peace,"    he   says,    "  shall 

bruise   Satan  under  your  feet  shortly."  (/)  In  our  Head  this 

victory  indeed  has  always  been  complete,  because  the  prince  of 

this  world  had  nothing  in  him;  (?n)  in  us  who  are  his  mem- 

bers, it  yet  appears  only  in  part,  but  will  be  completed  when  we 

shall  have  put  off  our  flesh  which  makes  us  still  subject  to 

infirmities,  and  shall  be  full  of  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

In  this  manner,  when  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  erected,  Satan 

and  his  power  must  fall;  as  the  Lord  himself  says,  "  I  beheld 

Satan  as  lightning  fall  from  heaven."  (n)  For  by  this  answer 

he  confirms  what  the  Apostles  had  reported   concerning  the 

power  of  his  preaching.  Again:  u  When  a  strong  man  armed 

keepeth  his  palace,  his  goods  are  in  peace;  but  when  a  stronger 

than  he  shall  come  upon  him,  and  overcome  him,"  &c.  (0)  And 

to  this  end  Christ  by  his  death  overcame  Satan  who  had  the 

power  of  death,  and  triumphed  over  all  his  forces,  that  they 

might  not  be  able  to  hurt  the  Church;  for  otherwise  it  would 

be  in  hourly  danger  of  destruction.   For  such  is  our  imbe- 

cility, and  such  the  strength  of  his  fury,  how  could  we  stand 

even  for  a  moment  against  his  various  and  unceasing  attacks, 

without  being  supported  by  the  victory  of  our  Captain?  There- 

fore God  permitteth  not  Satan  to  exercise  any  power  over  the 

souls  of  the  faithful,  but  abandons  to  his  government  only  the 

impious   and    unbelieving,   whom    he   deigns  not   to   number 

among  his  own  flock.  For  he  is  said  to  have  the  undisturbed 

possession  of  this  world,  till  he  is  expelled  by  Christ.  (/>)  He 

is  said  also  to  blind  all  who  believe  not  the  Gospel,  (^)  and  to 

work  in  the  children  of  disobedience;  (r)  and  this  justly,  for  all 

the    impious    are   vessels  of  wrath.  (*)    To  whom    therefore 

should  they  be  subjected,  but  to  the  minister  of  the   Divine 

vengeance?   Finally,  they  are  said  to  be  of  their  father  the 


Tim.  ii.  26.  (/)  Rom.  xvi.  20.  (m)  John  xiv.  30. 

(n)  Luke  x.  18.  (o)  Luke  xi.  21.  (p)  John  xii.  31. 

(7)  2  Cor.  iv.  4.  O)  Eph.  ii.  2.  •'*)  Romans  ix.  22. 


V  ft° 

t 


190  INSTITUTES   OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

devil;  (/)  because,  as  the  faithful  are  known  to  be  the  childn  i 
of  (iod  Iroin  their  bearing  his  image,  (u)  so  the  impious,  from 
the  image  of  Satan  into  which  they  have  degenerated,  are  pro- 
perly considered  as   his  children. 

XIX.  But  as  we  have  already  confuted  that  nugatory  phi- 
losophy concerning  the  holy  angels,  which  teaches  that  they 
are  nothing  but  inspirations,  or  good  motions,  excited  by  God 
in  the  minds  of  men;  so  in  this  place  we  must  refute  those 
who  pretend  that  devils  are  nothing  but  evil  affections  or  per- 
turbations, which  our  flesh  obtrudes  on  our  minds.  But  this 
may  be  easily  done,  and  that  because  the  testimonies  of  Scrip- 
ture on  this  subject  are  numerous  and  clear.  First,  when"thlEy 
are  called  unclean  spirits  and  apostate  angels  (w)  who  have 
degenerated  from  their  original  condition,  the  very  names 
sufficiently  express,  not  mental  emotions  or  affections,  but 
rather  in  reality  what  are  called  minds,  or  spirits  endued  with 
perception  and  intelligence.  Likewise  when  the  children  of 
God  are  compared  with  the  children  of  the  devil,  both  by 
Christ  and  by  John,  (•*•)  would  not  the  comparison  be  absurd, 
if  nothing  were  intended  by  the  word  devil  but  evil  inspira- 
tions? And  John  adds  something  still  plainer,  that  the  devil 
sinneth  from  the  beginning.  Likewise  when  Jude  introduces 
Michael  the  archangel  contending  with  the  devil,  (?/)  he  cer- 
tainly opposes  to  the  good  angel  an  evil  and  rebellious  one. 
To  which  agrees  what  is  recorded  in  the  history  of  Job,  that 
Satan  appeared  with  the  holy  angels  before  God.  (z)  But  the 
clearest  of  all  are  those  passages,  which  mention  the  punish- 
ment which  they  begin  to  feel  from  the  judgment  of  God,  and 
are  to  feel  much  more  at  the  resurrection:  "  Thou  Son  of 
God,  art  thou  come  hither  to  torment  us  before  the  time?"  (a) 
Also,  "  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for 
the  devil  and  his  angels."  (£)  Again,  "  If  God  spared  not  the 
angels  that  sinned,  but  cast  them  down  to  hell,  and  delivered 
them  into  chains  of  darkness,  to  be  reserved  unto  judgment," 
&c.  (c)  How  unmeaning  were  these  expressions,  that  the 

(0  John  viii.  44.          (*>)  1  Johniii.  10.  (w)  Matt.  xii.  43.  Jude  6, 

(x)  John  viii.  44.  1  John  iii.  10.  (j<)  Jude  9. 

(z)  Job  i.  6.  ii.  1.         (n)  Mutt.  viii.  29-  (6)  Matt.  xxv.  41. 
(c)2  Peter  ii.  4. 


CHAP,  xiv.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  191 

devils  are  appointed  to  eternal  judgment;  that  fire  is  prepared 
for  them;  that  they  are  now  tormented  and  vexed  by  the  glory 
of  Christ,  if  there  were  no  devils  at  all?  But  since  this  point 
is  not  a  subject  of  dispute  with  those  who  give  credit  to  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  but  with  those  vain  speculators  who  are 
pleased  with  nothing  but  novelty,  little  good  can  be  effected 
by  testimonies  of  Scripture.  I  consider  myself  as  having  done 
what  I  intended,  which  was  to  fortify  the  pious  mind  against 
such  a  species  of  errors,  with  which  restless  men  disturb  them- 
selves and  others  that  are  more  simple.  But  it  was  requisite  to 
touch  on  it,  lest  any  persons  involved  in  that  error,  under  a 
supposition  that  they  have  no  adversary,  should  become  more 
slothful  and  incautious  to  resist  him. 

XX.  Yet  let  us  not  disdain  to  receive  a  pious  delight  from 
the  works  of  God,  which  every  where  present  themselves  to 
view  in  this  very  beautiful  theatre  of  the  world.  For  this,  as 
I  have  elsewhere  observed,  though  not  the  principal,  is  yet  in 
the  order  of  nature  the  first  lesson  of  faith,  to  remember  that 
whithersoever  we  turn  our  eyes,  afl  the  things  which  we  behold 
are  the  works  of  God;  and  at  the  same  time  to  consider  with 
pious  meditation,  for  what  end  God  created  them.  Therefore 
to  apprehend,  by  a  true  faith,  what  it  is  for  our  benefit  to  know 
concerning  God,  we  must  first  of  all  understand  the  history  of 
the  creation  of  the  world,  as  it  is  briefly  related  by  Moses,  and 
afterwards  more  copiously  illustrated  by  holy  men,  particularly 
by  Basil  and  Ambrose.  Thence  we  shall  learn  that  God,  by 
the  power  of  his  Word  and  Spirit,  created  out  of  nothing  the 
heaven  and  the  earth;  that  from  them  he  produced  all  things, 
animate  and  inanimate;  distinguished  by  an  admirable  grada- 
tion the  innumerable  variety  of  things;  to  every  species  gave  its 
proper  nature,  assigned  its  offices,  and  appointed  its  places 
and  stations;  and  since  all  things  are  subject  to  corruption, 
hath  nevertheless  provided  for  the  preservation  of  every  species 
till  the  last  day:  that  he  therefore  nourishes  some  by  methods 
concealed  from  us,  from  time  to  time  infusing,  as  it  were,  new 
vigour  into  them;  that  on  some  he  hath  conferred  the  power 
of  propagation,  in  order  that  the  whole  species  may  not  be 
extinct  at  their  death:  that  he  hath  thus  wonderfully  adorned 
heaven  and.earth  with  the  utmost  possible  abundance,  varietv. 


192  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i, 

and  beauty,  like  a  large  and  splendid  mansion  most  exquisitrK 
and  copiously  furnished:  lastly,  that  by  creating  man,  and 
distinguishing  him  with  such  splendid  beauty,  and  with  such 
numerous  <.nd  great  privileges,  he  hath  exhibited  in  him  a 
most  excellent  specimen  of  all  his  works.  But  since  it  is  not  my 
design  to  treat  at  large  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  let  it  suffice 
to  have  again  dropped  these  few  hints  by  the  way.  For  it  is 
better,  as  I  have  just  advised  the  reader,  to  seek  for  fuller  in- 
formation on  this  subject  from  Moses,  and  others  who  have 
Faithfully  and  diligently  recorded  the  history  of  the  world. 

XXI.  It  is  useless  to  enter  into  a  prolix  disputation  respect- 
ing ihe  right  tendency  and  legitimate  design  of  a  consideration 
of  the  works  of  God:  since  this  question  has  been,  in  a  great 
measure,  determined  in  another  place,  and  as  much  as  concerns 
our  present  purpose,  may  be  dispatched  in  few  words.  Indeed, 
if  we  wished  to  explain  how  the  inestimable  wisdom,  power, 
justice,  and  goodness  of  God  are  manifested  in  the  formation 
of  the  world,  no  splendour  or  ornament  of  diction  will  equal 
the  magnitude  of  so  great  a  subject.  And  it  is  undoubtedly 
the  will  of  the  Lord,  that  we  should  be  continually  employed 
in  this  holy  meditation:  that  while  we  contemplate  in  all  the 
creatures,  as  in  so  many  mirrors,  the  infinite  riches  of  his 
wisdom,  justice,  goodness,  and  power,  we  might  not  only  take 
a  transient  and  cursory  view  of  them,  but  might  long  dwell  on 
the  idea,  seriously  and  faithfully  revolve  it  in  our  minds,  and 
frequently  recal  it  to  our  memory.  But  this  being  a  didactic 
treatise,  we  must  omit  those  topics  which  require  long  decla- 
mations. To  be  brief  therefore,  let  the  readers  know,  that 
they  have  then  truly  apprehended  by  faith  what  is  meant  by 
God  being  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  if  they,  in  the  first 
place,  follow  this  universal  rule,  not  to  pass  over,  with  ungrate- 
ful inattention  or  oblivion,  those  glorious  perfections  which 
God  manifests  in  his  creatures;  and,  secondly,  learn  to  make 
such  an  application  to  themselves  as  thoroughly  to  affect  their 
hearts.  The  first  point  is  exemplified,  when  we  consider  how 
great  must  have  been  the  Artist,  who  disposed  that  multitude 
of  stars  which  adorn  the  heaven,  in  such  a  regular  order,  that 
it  is  impossible  to  imagine  any  thing  more  beautiful  to  behold; 
who  fixed  some  in  their  stations,  so  that  they  cannot  be  moved: 


CHAP,  xiv.j        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  193 

who  granted  to  others  a  freer  course,  but  so  that  they  never 
travel  beyond  their  appointed  limits;  who  so  regulates  the 
motions  of  all,  that  they  measure  days  and  nights,  months, 
years,  and  seasons  of  the  year;  and  also  reduces  the  inequality 
of  days,  which  we  constantly  witness,  to  such  a  medium  that 
it  occasions  no  confusion.  So  also  when  we  observe  his  power 
in  sustaining  so  great  a  mass,  in  governing  the  rapid  revolu- 
tions of  the  celestial  machine,  and  the  like.  For  these  few 
examples  sufficiently  declare,  what  it  is  to  recognise  the  per- 
fections of  God  in  the  creation  of  the  world.  Otherwise  were 
I  desirous  of  pursuing  the  subject  to  its  full  extent,  there 
would  be  no  end;  since  there  are  as  many  miracles  of  Divine 
power,  as  many  monuments  of  Divine  goodness,  as  many 
proofs  of  Divine  wisdom,  as  there  are  species  of  things  in  the 
world,  and  even  as  there  are  individual  things,  either  great  or 
small. 

XXII.  There  remains  the  other  point,  which  approaches 
more  nearly  to  faith;  that  while  we  observe  how  God  hath 
appointed  all  things  for  our  benefit  and  safety,  and  at  the  same 
time  perceive  his  power  and  grace  in  ourselves,  and  the  great 
benefits  which  he  hath  conferred  on  us,  we  may  thence  excite 
ourselves  to  confide  in  him,  to  invoke  him,  to  praise  him,  and 
to  love  him.  Now,  as  I  have  just  before  suggested,  God  him- 
self hath  demonstrated  by  the  very  order  of  creation,  that  he 
made  all  things  for  the  sake  of  man.  For  it  was  not  with- 
out reason  that  he  distributed  the  making  of  the  world  into 
six  days;  though  it  would  have  been  no  more  difficult  for 
him  to  complete  the  whole  work  in  all  its  parts  at  once  in  a 
single  moment,  than  to  arrive  at  its  completion  by  such  pro- 
gressive advances.  But  in  this  he  hath  been  pleased  to  display 
his  providence  and  paternal  solicitude  towards  us,  since  before 
he  would  make  man,  he  prepared  every  thing  which  he  fore- 
saw would  be  useful  or  beneficial  to  him.  How  great  would 
be  now  the  ingratitude  to  doubt  whether  we  are  regarded  by 
this  best  of  Fathers,  whom  we  perceive  to  have  been  solicitous 
on  our  account  before  we  existed?  How  impious  would  it  be 
to  tremble  with  diffidence,  lest  at  any  time  his  benignity 
should  desert  us  in  our  necessities,  which  we  see  was  displayed 
in  the  greatest  affluence  of  all  blessings  provided  for  us  while 

VOL.  I.  2  R 


194  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

AVC  were  yet  unborn?  Besides,  we  are  told  by  Moses,  (aQ  that 
his  liberality  hath  subjected  to  us  all  that  is  contained  in  the 
whole  world^  He  certainly  has  not  made  this  declaration  in 
order  to  tantalize  us  with  the  empty  name  of  such  a  donation. 
Therefore  we  never  shall  be  destitute  of  any  thing  which  will 
conduce  to  our  welfare.  Finally,  to  conclude,  whenever  we 
call  God  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth,  let  us  at  the  same 
time  reflect,  that  the  dispensation  of  all  those  things  which  he 
hath  made  is  in  his  own  power,  and  that  we  are  his  children, 
whom  he  hath  received  into  his  charge  and  custody,  to  be  sup- 
ported and  educated;  so  that  we  may  expect  every  blessing 
from  him  alone,  and  cherish  a  certain  hope  that  he  will  never 
suffer  us  to  want  those  things  which  are  necessary  to  our  well- 
being,  that  our  hope  may  depend  on  no  other;  that,  whatever 
we  need  or  desire,  our  prayers  may  be  directed  to  him,  and 
that  from  whatever  quarter  we  receive  any  advantage,  we  may 
acknowledge  it  to  be  his  benefit,  and  confess  it  with  thanks- 
giving; that  being  allured  with  such  great  sweetness  of  good- 
ness and  beneficence,  we  may  study  to  love  and  worship  him 
with  all  our  hearts. 


vwvwvwwvvw 

CHAPTER  XV. 

The  State. of  Man  at  his  Creation,  the  Faculties  of  the  Soul, 
the  Divine  Image,  Free  Will,  and  the  Original  Purity  of  his 
Nature. 

\VE  must  now  treat  of  the  creation  of  man,  not  only  be- 
cause he  exhibits  the  most  noble  and  remarkable  specimen 
of  the  Divine  justice,  wisdom,  and  goodness  among  all  the 
works  of  God;  but  because,  as  we  observed  in  the  beginning, 
we  cannot  attain  to  a  clear  and  solid  knowledge  of  God,  with- 
out a  mutual  acquaintance  with  ourselves.  But  though  this  is 
twofold,  the  knowledge  of  the  condition  in  which  we  were 
.  and  of  that  into  which,  we  entered  after 

•ii.  '<  ?8.  ix.  2 


CHAP,  xv.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  195 

the  fall  of  Adam  (for  indeed  we  should  derive  but  little  advan- 
tage from  a  knowledge  of  our  creation,  unless  in  the  lamentable 
ruin  which  has  befallen  us  we  discovered  the  corruption  and 
deformity  of  our  nature),  yet  we  shall  content  ourselve's  at  pre- 
sent with  a  description  of  human  nature  in  its  primitive  inte- 
grity. And  indeed,  before  we  proceed  to  the  miserable  condition 
in  which  man  is  now  involved,  it  is  necessary  to  understand  the 
state  in  which  he  was  first  created.  For  we  must  beware  lest 
in  precisely  pointing  out  the  natural  evils  of  man,  we  seem  to 
refer  them  to  the  Author  of  nature;  since  impious  men  sup- 
pose that  this  pretext  affords  them  a  sufficient  defence,  if  they 
can  plead  that  whatever  defect  or  fault  they  have,  proceeds 

m  ""~~~~'~~im»iiTB^  n      ma»m^^~Baai  •^•••••••n •  >•    »n»i»i  iipniBrfr  •rnr~n    r^rrMaJfuJiiiaMMmm    M  nu, 

in  some  measure  from  God;  nor  do  they  hesi-.ate,  if  reproved, 
to  litigate  with  God  himself,  and  transfer  to  him  the  crime  of 
which  they  are  justly  accused.  And  those  who  would  be 
thought  to  speak  with  more  reverence  concerning  the  Deity, 
yet  readily  endeavour  to  excuse  their  depravity  from  nature, 
not  considering  that  they  also,  though  in  a  more  obscure 
manner,  are  guilty  of  defaming  the  character  of  God:  to 
whose  dishonour  it  would  redound,  if  nature  could  be  proved 
to  have  had  any  innate  depravity  at  its  formation.  Since  AVC 
see  the  flesh  therefore  eagerly  catching  at  every  subterfuge,  by 
which  it  supposes  that  the  blame  of  its  evils  may  by  any  means 
be  transferred  from  itself  to  any  other,  we  must  diligently 
oppose  this  perverseness.  The  calamity  of  mankind  must  be 
treated  in  such  a  manner  as  to  preclude  all  tergiversation,  and 
to  vindicate  the  Divine  justice  from  every  accusation.  We 
shall  afterwards,  in  the  proper  place,  see  how  far  men  are  fallen 
from  that  purity  which  was  bestowed  upon  Adam.  And  first 
let  it  be  understood,  that  by  his  being  made  of  earth  and  clay, 
a  restraint  was  laid  upon  pride;  since  nothing  is  more  absurd 
than  for  creatures  to  glory  in  their  excellence,  who  not  only 
inhabit  a  cottage  of  clay,  but  who  are  themselves  composed 
partly  of  dust  and  ashes,  (e)  But  as  God  not  only  deigned  to 
animate  the  earthen  vessel,  but  chose  to  make  it  the  residence 
of  an  immortal  spirit,  Adam  might  justly  glory  in  so  great  an 
instance  of  the  liberality  of  his  Maker. 

(0  Gen.ii.7.iii.l9,  23. 


196  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  r. 

II.  That  man  consists  of  soul  and  body,  ought  not  to  be 
controverted.  By  the  "soul"  I  understand  an  immortal  yet 
created(*essence,  which  is  tin-  nobler  part  of  him.  Sometimes 
it  is  called  a  "  spirit:"  for  though  when  these  names  are  con- 
nected they  have  a  different  signification,  yet  when  "  spirit" 
is  used  separately  >  it  means  the  same  as  "  soul:"  as  when  Solo- 
mon, speaking  of  death,  says  that  "  then  the  spirit  shall  return 
unto  God,  who  gave  it."  (y)  And  Christ  commending  his 
spirit  to  the  Father,  ( ,§••)  and  Stephen  his  to  Christ,  (A)  intend 
no  other  than  that,  when  the  soul  is  liberated  from  the  prison  of 
the  flesh,  God  is  its  perpetual  keeper.  Those  who  imagine 
that  the  soul  is  called  a  spirit,  because  it  is  a  breath  or  faculty 
divinely  infused  into  the  body,  but  destitute  of  any  essence,  are 
proved  to  be  in  a  gross  error  by  the  thing  itself,  and  by  the 
whole  tenor  of  Scripture.  It  is  true  indeed  that  while  men 
are  immoderately  attached  to  the  earth,  they  become  stupid, 
and  being  alienated  from  the  Father  of  lights  are  immersed  in 
darkness,  so  that  they  consider  not  that  they  shall  survive  after 
death:  yet  in  the  mean  time  the  light  is  not  so  entirely  extin- 
guished by  the  darkness,  but  that  they  are  affected  with  some 
sense  of  their  immortality.  Surely  the  conscience,  which  dis- 
cerning between  good  and  evil  answers  to  the  judgment  of 
God,  is  an  indubitable  proof  of  an  immortal  spirit.  For  how 
could  an  affection  or  emotion  without  any  essence  penetrate 
to  the  tribunal  of  God,  and  inspire  itself  with  terror  on  account 
of  its  guilt?  For  the  body  is  not  affected  by  a  fear  of  spiritual 
punishment;  that  falls  only  on  the  soul:  whence  it  follows, 
that  it  is  possessed  of  an  essence.  Now  the  very  knowledge  of 
God  sufficiently  proves  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  which  rises 

^. ^tfn fim r  rffcwA^^aa»ru _J,LI    i    irt— —— — — ^^*— *j      •••»«• 

above  the  world,  since  an  evanescent  breath  or  inspiration  could 
not  arrive  at  the  fountain  of  life.  Lastly,  the  many  noble 
faculties  with  which  the  human  mind  is  adorned,  and  which 
loudly  proclaim  that  something  divine  is  inscribed  '<n_it,  are  so 
many  testimonies  of  its  immortal  essence.  For  the  sense  which 
the  brutes  have,  extends  not  beyond  the  body,  or  at  most  not 
nd  the  objects  near  it.  But  the  agility  of  the  human  mind, 
'coking  through  heaven  and  earth  and  the  secrets  of  nature, 

'  /)  Eccles.  xii.7.  (3-)  Luke  xxiil.  4r).  (A)  Acts  vii.  59. 


.HAP.  xv.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  197 

and  comprehending  in  its  intellect  and  memory  all  ages,  digest- 
ing every  thing  in  proper  order,  and  concluding  future  events 
from  those  which  are  past,  clearly  demonstrates  that  there  is 
concealed  within  man  something  distinct  from  the  body.  In  our 
minds  we  form  conceptions  of  the  invisible  God  and  of  angels, 
to  which  the  body  is  not  at  all  competent.  We  apprehend 
what  is  right,  just,  and  honest,  which  is  concealed  from  the 
corporeal  senses.  The  spirit  therefore  must  be  the  seat  of  this 
intelligence.  Even  sleep  itself,  which  stupefying  man  seems 
to  divest  him  even  of  life,  is  no  obscure  proof  of  immortality: 
since  it  not  only  suggests  to  us  ideas  of  things  which  never 
happened,  but  also  presages  of  future  events.  I  briefly  touch 
those  things  which  even  profane  writers  magnificently  extol 
in  a  more  splendid  and  ornamented  diction;  but  with  the 
pious  reader  the  simple  mention  of  them  will  be  sufficient. 
Now  unless  the  soul  were  something  essentially  distinct  from 
the  body,  the  Scripture  would  not  inform  us  that  we  dwell  in 
houses  of  clay,  (z)  and  at  death  quit  the  tabernacle  of  the 
flesh;  (^)  that  we  put  off  the  corruptible,  (/)  to  receive  a  re- 
ward at  the  last  day,  according  to  the  respective  conduct  of 
each  individual  in  the  body,  (ni)  For  certainly  these  and 
similar  passages,  which  often  occur,  not  only  manifestly  dis- 
tinguish the  soul  from  the  body,  but  by  transferring  to  it  the 
name  of  "  man,"  indicate  that  it  is  the  principal  part  of  our 
nature.  When  Paul  exhorts  the  faithful  to  cleanse  themselves 
from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  of  the  spirit,  («)  he  points 
out  two  parts  in  which  the  defilement  of  sin  resides.  Peter- 
also,  when  he  called  Christ  the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of 
souls,  (0)  would  have  spoken  improperly,  if  there  were  no  souls 
over  whom  he  could  exercise  that  office.  Nor  would  there  be 
any  consistency  in  what  he  says  concerning  the  eternal  salvation 
of  souls,  or  in  his  injunction  to  purify  the  souls,  or  in  his 
assertion  that  fleshly  lusts  war  against  the  soul,  (/»)  or  in  what 
the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  says,  that  pastors 
watch  to  give  an  account  of  our  souls,  (q)  unless  souls  had  a 
proper  essence.  To  the  same  purpose  is  the  place  were  Paul 

(t)  Job  iv.  19.  (k)  2  Cor.  v.  4.  (/)  2  Peter  i.  13,  14. 

(m)  2  Cor.  v.  10.        (n)  2  Cor.  vii.  r.  (o)  1  Peter  ii.  25. 

O1  1  Peter  i.  9,  22.  ii.  11.  (?)  Heb.  xiii.  17. 


196  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

"  calls  God  for  a  record  upon  his  soul,"  (r)  because  it  could  not 
be  amenable  to  God,  if  it  were  not  capable  of  punishment. 
Which  is  also  more  clearly  expressed  in  the  words  of  Christ, 
where  he  commands  us  to  fear  him,  who  after  having  killed  the 
body  is  able  to  cast  the  soul  into  hell,  (s)  Where  the  author 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  distinguishes  between  the  fathers 
of  our  flesh,  and  God  who  is  the  only  Father  of  spirits,  (f) 
he  could  not  assert  the  essence  or  existence  of  the  soul  in  more 
express  terms.  Besides,  unless  the  soul  survived  after  its 
liberation  from  the  prison  of  the  body,  it  was.  absurd  for  Christ 
to  represent  the  soul  of  Lazarus  as  enjoying  happiness  in  the 
bosom  of  Abraham,  and  the  soul  of  the  rich  man  as  con- 
demned to  dreadful  torments.  (i(^)  Paul  confirms  the  same 
point,  by'  informing  us  that  we  are  absent  from  God  as  long 
as  we  dwell  in  the  body,  but  that  when  absent  from  the  body 
we  are  present  with  the  Lord,  (u)  Not  to  be  too  prolix  on 
a  subject  of  so  little  obscurity,  I  shall  only  add  this  from  Luke, 
that  it  is  reckoned  among  the  errors  of  the  Sadducees,  that 
they  believed  not  the  existence  of  angels  or  of  spirits.  (?y) 

III.  A  solid  proof  of  this  point  may  also  be  gathered  from 
man  being  said  to  be  created  in  the  image  of  God.  (.*•)  For 
though  the  glory  of  God  is  displayed  in  his  external  form,  yet 
there  is  no  doubt  that  the  proper  seat  of  his  image  J^__inMthe 
soul.  I  admit  that  the  external  form,  as  it  distinguishes  us 
from  brutes,  also  exalts  us  more  nearly  to  God:  nor  will  I 
too  vehemently  contend  with  any  one  who  would  understand, 
by  the  image  of  God  that 

While  the  mute  creation  downward  bend 

Their  sight,  and  to  their  earthly  mother  tend, 
Man  looks  aloft,  and  with  erected  eyes 
Beholds  his  own  hereditary  skies.  (?/) 

Only  let  it  be  decided  that  the  image  of  God,  which  appears 
or  sparkles  in  these  external  characters,  is  spiritual.  For 
Osiaiider,  whose  perverse  ingenuity  in  futile  notions  is  proved 

(r)  2  Cor.  i.  23.          (?)  Matt.  x.  28.  Luke  xii.  4,  5.  (<)  Heb.  xii.  9. 

00  Luke  xvi.  22.     (*')  2  Cor.  v.  6,  8.      (to)  Acts  xxiii.  8.    (x)  Gen.  i.  27- 
TIKI.  lib.  1.  Dryden's  Translation. 


(..HAP.  xv.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  199 

by  his  writings,  extending  the  image  of  God  promiscuously  to 
the  body  as  well  as  to  the  soul,  confounds  heaven  and  earth 
together.  He  says  that  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit  fixed 
their  image  in  man,  because  even  if  Adam  had  remained  in  his 
integrity,  Christ  would  nevertheless  have  become  man.  Thus 
according  to  him,  the  body  which  had  been  destined  for 
Christ  was  the  exemplar  and  type  of  that  corporeal  figure 
which  was  then  formed.  But  where  will  he  find  that  Christ  is 
the  image  of  the  Spirit?  I  grant  indeed  that  the  glory  of 
the  whole  Deity  shines  in  the  person  of  the  Mediator*  but 
how  shall  the  eternal  Word  be  called  the  image  of  the  Spirit, 
whom  he  precedes  in  order?  Lastly,  it  subverts  the  distinction 
between  the  Son  and  Spirit,  if  the  former  be  denominated  the 
image  of  the  latter.  Besides,  I  could  wish  to  be  informed  by 
him,  how  Christ  in  the  body  which  he  hath  assumed  resembles 
the  Spirit,  and  by  what  characters  or  lineaments  his  similitude 
is  expressed?  And  since  that  speech,  "  Let  us  make  man  in 
our  own  image,"  (2)  belongs  also  to  the  person  of  the  Son,  it 
follows  that  he  is  the  image  of  himself;  which  is  altogether 
repugnant  to  reason.  Moreover  if  the  notion  of  Qsiander  be 
received,  man  was  formed  only  to  the  type  or  exemplar  of  the 
humanity  of  Christ;  and  the  idea  from  which  Adam  was 
taken  was  Christ,  as  about  to  be  clothed  in  flesh:  whereas  the 
Scripture  teaches  in  a  very  different  sense,  that  man  was 
"  created  in  the  image  of  God."  There  is  more  plausibility 
in  the  subtlety  of  those  who  maintain  that  Adam  was  created 
in  the  image  of  God,  because  he  was  conformed  to  Christ  who 
is  the  only  image  of  God.  But  this  also  is  destitute  of  solidity. 
There  is  no  small  controversy  concerning  "  image"  and  "like- 
ness" among  expositors  who  seek  for  a  difference,  whereas  in 
reality  there  is  none,  between  the  two  words;  "  likeness"  being 
only  added  by  way  of  explanation.  In  the  first  place,  we 
know  that  it  is  the  custom  of  the  Hebrews  to  use  repetitions, 
in  which  they  express  one  thing  twice.  In  the  next  place, 
as  to  the  thing  itself,  there  is  no  doubt  but  man  is  called  the 
image  of  God,  on  account  of  his  likeness  to  God.  Hence  it 
appears  that  those  persons  make  themselves  ridiculous  Mrho 

(i)  Gen.  i.  26. 


200  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

display  more  subtlety  in  criticising  on  these  terms,  whether  they 
N«onfine  zelem,  that  is,  "  image,"  to  the  substance  of  the  soul, 
and  demuth,  that  is,  "  likeness,"  to  its  qualities,  or  whether 
they  bring  forward  any  different  interpretation.  Because,  when 
God  determined  to  create  man  in  his  own  image,  that  expres- 
sion being  rather  obscure,  he  repeats  the  same  idea  in  this 
explanatory  phrase,  "  after  our  likeness;"  as  though  he  had  said 
that  he  was  about  to  make  man,  in  whom,  as  in  an  image,  he 
would  give  a  representation  of  himself  by  the  characters  of 
resemblance  which  he  would  impress  upon  him.  Therefore 
Moses,  a  little  after,  reciting  the  same  thing,  introduces  the 
image  of  God,  but  makes  no  mention  of  his  likeness.  The 
objection  of  Osiander  is  quite  frivolous,  that  it  is  not  a  part  of 
man,  or  the  soul  with  its  faculties,  that  is  called  the  image  of 
God,  but  the  whole  Adam,  who  received  his  name  from  the 
earth  whence  he  was  taken;  it  will  be  deemed  frivolous,  I  say, 
by  every  rational  reader.  For  when  the  whole  man  is  called 
mortal,  the  soul  is  not  therefore  made  subject  to  death;  nor 
on  the  other  hand,  when  man  is  called  a  rational  animal,  does 
reason  or  intelligence  therefore  belong  to  the  body.  Though 
the  soul  therefore  is  not  the  whole  man,  yet  there  is  no  ab- 
surdity in  calling  him  the  image  of  God  with  relation  to  the 
soul;  although  I  retain  the  principle  which  I  have  just  laid 
down,  that  the  image  of  God  includes  all  the  excellence  in 
which  the  nature  of  man  surpasses  all  the  other  species  of 
animals.  This  term  therefore  denotes  the  integrity  which 
Adam  possessed,  when  he  was  endued  with  a  right  understand- 
ing, when  he  had  affections  regulated  by  reason,  and  all  his 
senses  governed  in  proper  order,  and  when  in  the  excellency 
of  his  nature  he  truly  resembled  the  excellence  of  his  Creator. 
And  though  the  principal  seat  of  the  Divine  image  was  in  the 
mind  and  heart,  or  in  the  soul  and  its  faculties;  yet  there  was 
no  part  of  man,  not  even  the  body,  which  was  not  adorned 
with  some  rays  of  its  glory.  It  is  certain  that  the  lineaments 
of  the  Divine  gk>ry  are  conspicuous  in  every  part  of  the 
world:  whence  it  may  be  concluded,  that  where  the  image 
of  God  is  said  to  be  in  man,  there  is  implied  a  tacit  anti- 
thesis, which  exalts  men  above  all  the  other  creatures,  and  as 
it  were  separates  him  from  the  vulgar  herd.  It  is  not  to  be 


CHAP,  xv.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  sol 

denied  that  angels  were  created  in  the  similitude  of  God, 
since  our  highest  perfection  will  consist,  according  to  Christ, 
in  being  like  them,  (a)  But  it  is  not  in  vain  that  Moses  cele- 
brates the  favour  of  God  towards  us  by  this  peculiar  title; 
especially  as  he  compares  man  only  to  visible  creatures. 

IV.  No  complete  definition  of  this  image,  however,  appears 
yet  to  be  given,  unless  it  be  more  clearly  specified  in  what 
faculties  man  excels,  and  in  what  respects  he  ought  to  be 
accounted  a  mirror  of  the  Divine  glory.  But  that  cannot  be 
better  known  from  any  thing,  than  from  the  reparation  of  his 
corrupted  nature.  There  is  no  doubt  that  Adam,  when  he 
fell  from  his  dignity,  was  by  this  defection  alienated  from  God. 
Wherefore,  although  we  allow  that  the  Divine  image  was  not 
utterly  annihilated  and  effaced  in  him,  yet  it  was  so  cor- 
rupted, that  whatever  remains  is  but  horrible  deformity.  And 
therefore  the  beginning  of  our  recovery  and  salvation  is  the 
restoration  which  we  obtain  through  Christ,  who  on  this 
account  is  called  the  second  Adam;  because  he  restores  us  to 
true  and  perfect  integrity.  For  although  Paul,  opposing  the 
quickening  spirit  received  by  the  faithful  from  Christ,  to  the 
living  soul  in  which  Adam  was  created,  (£)  celebrates  the  de- 
gree of  grace  displayed  in  regeneration  as  superior  to  that 
manifested  in  creation;  yet  he  contradicts  not  that  other 
capital  point,  that  this  is  the  end  of  regeneration,  that  Christ 
may  form  us  anew  in  the  image  of  God.  Therefore  he  else- 
where informs  us,  that  "  the  new  man  is  renewed  in  know- 
ledge after  the  image  of  him  that  created  him."  (c)  With 
which  corresponds  the  following  exhortation,  "  Put  on  the 
new  man,  which  after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and 
true  holiness."  (</)  Now  we  may  see  what  Paul  comprehends 
in  this  renovation.  In  the  first  place,  he  mentions  knowledge, 
and  in  the  next  place,  sincere  righteousness  and  holiness: 
whence  we  infer,  that  in  the  beginning  the  image  of  God  was 
conspicuous  in  the  light  of  the  mind,  in  the  rectitude  of  the 
heart,  and  in  the  soundness  of  all  the  parts  of  our  nature.  For 
though  I  grant  that  the  forms  of  expression  are  synechdochi- 
cal,  signifying  the  whole  by  a  part;  yet  this  is  an  axiom  which 

(a)  Matt.  xxii.  30.  (6)  1  Cor.  xv.  45, 

(c)  Col.  iii.  10.  (rf.)  Eph.  iv.  24. 

VOL.  I.  2  C 


202  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

cannot  be  overturned,  that  what  holds  the  principal  place  in 
the  renovation  of  the  Divine  image,  must  also  have  held  the 
same  place  in  the  creation  of  it  at  first.  To  the  same  purpose 
is  another  passage  of  the  Apostle,  that  "  we  with  open  face 
beholding  the  glory  of  Christ,  are  changed  into  the  same 
image."  (e)  We  see  now  how  Christ  is  the  most  perfect  image 
of  God,  to  which  being  conformed,  we  are  so  restored  that 
we  bear  the  Divine  image  in  true  piety,  righteousness, 
purity,  and  understanding.  This  position  being  established, 
the  imagination  of  Osiander,  about  the  figure  of  the  body, 
immediately  vanishes  of  itself.  The  passage  where  Paul  calls 
the  man  "  the  image  and  glory  of  God,"  (^)  to  the  exclusion 
of  the  woman  from  that  degree  of  honour,  appears  from  the 
context  to  be  confined  to  political  subordination.  But  that 
the  image  which  has  been  mentioned  comprehended  whatever 
relates  to  spiritual  and  eternal  life,  has  now,  I  think,  been 
sufficiently  proved.  John  confirms  the  same  in  other  words, 
by  asserting  that  "the  life"  which  was  from  the  beginning 
in  the  eternal  Word  of  God,  u  was  the  light  of  men."  (^-) 
For  as  he  intended  to  praise  the  singular  favour  of  God  which 
exalts  men  above  all  the  other  animals;  to  separate  him  from 
the  common  number,  because  he  hath  attained  no  vulgar  life, 
but  a  life  connected  with  the  light  of  intelligence  and  reason, 
he  at  the  same  time  shews  how  he  was  made  after  the  image  of 
God.  Therefore  since  the  image  of  God  is  the  uncorrupted 
excellence  of  human  nature,  which  shone  in  Adam  before  his 
defection,  but  was  afterwards  so  corrupted  and  almost  obliter- 
ated, that  nothing  remains  from  the  ruin  but  what  is  confused, 
mutilated,  and  defiled;  it  is  now  partly  visible  in  the  elect,  in. 
asmuch  as  they  are  regenerated  by  the  Spirit,  but  it  will  ob- 
tain its  full  glory  in  heaven.  But  that  we  may  know  the  parts 
of  which  it  consists,  it  is  necessary  to  treat  of  the  faculties  of 
the  soul.  For  that  speculation  of  Augustine  is  far  from  being 
solid,  that  the  soul  is  a  mirror  of  the  Trinity,  because  it  con- 
tains understanding,  will,  and  memory.  Nor  is  there  any 
probability  in  the  opinion  which  places  the  similitude  of  God 
in  the  dominion  committed  to  man;  as  though  he  resembled 

(e)  2  Cor.  tH.  18.  (/)  1  Cor.  xi.  7.  (5-)  John  L  4. 


CHAP,  xv.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  2Q3 

God  only  in  this  character,  that  he  was  constituted  heir  and 
possessor  of  all  things,  whereas  it  must  properly  be  sought 
in  him,  not  -without  him;  it  is  an  internal  excellence  of  the 
soul. 

V.  But  before  I  proceed  any  farther,  it  is  necessary  to 
combat  the  Manichsean  error,  which  Servetus  has  attempted 
to  revive  and  propagate  in  the  present  age.  Because  God  is 
said  to  have  breathed  into  man  the  breath  of  life,  (/z)  they 
supposed  that  the  soul  was  an  emanation  from  the  substance 
of  God;  as  though  some  portion  of  the  infinite  Deity  had 
been  conveyed  into  man.  But  it  may  be  easily  and  briefly 
shewn  how  many  shameful  and  gross  absurdities  are  the  ne- 
cessary consequences  of  this  diabolical  error.  For  if  the  soul 
of  man  be  an  emanation  from  the  essence  of  God,  it  will  follow 
that  the  Divine  nature  is  not  only  mutable  and  subject  to 
passions,  but  also  to  ignorance,  depraved  desires,  and  vices 
of  every  kind.  Nothing  is  more  inconstant  than  man,  because 
his  soul  is  agitated,  and  variously  distracted  by  contrary  mo- 
tions; he  frequently  mistakes  through  ignorance;  he  is  van- 
quished by  some  of  the  smallest  temptations;  we  know  that 
the  soul  is  the  receptacle  of  every  kind  of  impurity:  all  which 
we  must  ascribe  to  the  Divine  nature,  if  we  believe  the  soul 
to  be  a  part  of  the  essence  of  God,  or  a  secret  influx  of  the 
Deity.  Who  would  not  dread  such  a  monstrous  tenet?  It 
is  a  certain  truth,  quoted  by  Paul  from  Aratus,  that  "  we  are 
the  offspring  of  God,"  but  in  quality,  not  in  substance;  foras- 
much as  he  hath  adorned  us  with  Divine  endowments.  (2)  But 
to  divide  the  essence  of  the  Creator,  that  every  creature  may 
possess  a  part  of  it,  indicates  extreme  madness.  It  must  there- 
fore be  concluded  beyond  all  doubt,  notwithstanding  the  Divine 
image  is  impressed  on  the  souls  of  men,  that  they  were  no 
less  created  than  the  angels.  And  creation  is  not  a  transfusion, 
hut  an  origination  of  existence  from  nothing.  Nor  because  the 
spirit  is  given  by  God,  and  returns  to  him  on  its  departure 
from  the  body,  is  it  immediately  to  be  asserted,  that  it  was 
plucked  off  like  a  branch  from  his  essence.  And  on  this 
point  ajso  Osiander,  while  he  is  elated  with  his  own  illusions, 

(A)  Gen.  ii.  7.  fi)  Acts  xvii.  28.. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

has  involved  himself  in  an  impious  error,  not  acknowledging 
the  image  of  God  in  man  without  his  essential  righteousness, 
as  though  God  could  not,  by  the  inconceivable  power  of  his 
Spirit,  render  us  conformable  to  himself,  unless  Christ  were 
to  transfuse  himself  substantially  into  us.  However  some  per- 
sons may  attempt  to  gloss  over  these  delusions,  they  will  never 
so  far  blind  the  eyes  of  sensible  readers,  as  to  prevent  their  per- 
ceiving that  they  savour  of  the  error  of  the  Manicheans.  And 
where  Paul  treats  of  the  restoration  of  this  image,  we  may 
readily  conclude  from  his  words,  that  man  was  conformed  to 
God  not  by  an  influx  of  his  substance,  but  by  the  grace  and 
power  of  his  Spirit.  For  he  says  that  by  beholding  the  glory 
Of  Christ,  we  are  transformed  into  the  same  image  as  by  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord:  (£)  who  certainly  operates  in  us  not  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  render  us  consubstantial  with  God. 

VI.  It  would  be  folly  to  seek  for  a  definition  of  the  soul 
from  the  heathen  philosophers,  of  whom  Plato  is  almost  the 
only  one  who  has  plainly  asserted  it  to  be  an  immortal  sub- 
stance. Others  indeed,  the  disciples  of  Socrates,  hint  at  it, 
but  with  great  doubts;  no  one  clearly  teaches  that  of  which  he 
was  not  persuaded  himself.  The  sentiment  of  Plato  therefore 
is  more  correct,  because  he  considers  the  image  of  God  as  being 
in  the  soul.  The  other  sects  so  confine  its  powers  and  faculties 
to  the  present  life,  that  they  leave  it  nothing  beyond  the  body. 
But  we  have  before  stated  from  the  Scripture,  that  it  is  an 
incorporeal  substance;  now  we  shall  add,  that  although  it  is 
not  properly  contained  in  any  place,  yet  being  put  into  the 
body,  it  inhabits  it  as  its  dwelling,  not  only  to  animate  all  its 
parts,  and  render  the  organs  fit  and  useful  for  their  respective 
operations,  but  also  to  hold  the  supremacy  in  the  government 
of  human  life;  and  that  not  only  in  the  concerns  of  the  ter- 
restrial life,  but  likewise  to  excite  to  the  worship  of  God. 
Though  this  last  point  is  not  so  evident  in  the  state  of  corrup- 
tion, yet  there  remain  some  relics  of  it  impressed  even  in  our  very 
vices.  For  whence  proceeds  the  great  concern  of  men  about 
their  reputation,  but  from  shame?  but  whence  proceeds  shame, 
unless  from  a  respect  for  virtue?  The  principle  and  cause  of 

C-t)  2  Cor.  iii.  18. 


CHAP,  xv.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  205 

which  is,  that  they  understand  themselves  to  have  been  born 
for  the  cultivation  of  righteousness;  and  in  which  are  included 
the  seeds  of  religion.  But  as  without  controversy  man  was 
created  to  aspire  to  a  heavenly  life,  &o  it  is  certain  that  the 
knowledge  of  it  was  impressed  on  his  soul.  And  indeed  man 
would  be  deprived  of  the  principal  use  of  his  understanding, 
'if  he  were  ignorant  of  his  felicity,  the  perfection  of  which 
consists  in  being  united  to  God.  Thus  the  chief  operation  of 
the  soul  is  to  aspire  after  it,  and  therefore  the  more  a  man 
studies  to  approach  to  God,  the  more  he  proves  himself  a 
rational  creature.  Some  maintain  that  in  man  there  are  more 
souls  than  one,  a  sensitive  and  a  rational  one;  but  notwith- 
standing some  appearance  of  probability  in  what  they  adduce, 
yet  as  there  is  nothing  solid  in  their  arguments,  we  must  reject 
them,  unless  we  are  fond  of  tormenting  ourselves  with  frivo- 
lous and  useless  things.  They  say  that  there  is  a  great  repug- 
nancy between  the  organic  motions  and  the  rational  part  of 
the  soul.  As  though  reason  were  not  also  at  variance  with 
itself,  and  some  of  its  counsels  were  not  in  opposition  to  others, 
like  hostile  armies.  But  as  this  confusion  proceeds  from  the 
depravity  of  nature,  it  affords  no  ground  for  concluding  that 
there  are  two  souls,  because  the  faculties  are  not  sufficiently 
harmonious  with  each  other.  But  all  curious  discussion  re- 
specting the  faculties  themselves  I  leave  to  the  philosophers; 
a  simple  definition  will  suffice  us  for  the  edification  of  piety. 
I  confess  indeed  that  the  things  which  they  teach  are  true, 
and  not  only  entertaining  to  be  known,  but  useful  and  well 
digested  by  them:  nor  do  I  prohibit  those  who  are  desirous  of 
learning  from  the  study  of  them.  I  admit  then,  in  the  first 
place,  that  there  are  five  senses,  which  Plato  would  rather  call 
organs,  by  which  all  objects  are  conveyed  into  a  common  sen- 
sory, as  into  a  general  repository;  that  next  follows  the  fancy 
or  imagination,  which  discerns  the  objects  apprehended  by 
the  common  sensory;  next,  reason,  to  which  belongs  univer- 
sal judgment;  lastly,  the  understanding,  which  steadily  and 
quietly  contemplates  the  objects  revolved  and  considered  by 
reason.  And  thus  to  the  understanding,  reason,  and  imagina- 
tion, the  three  intellectual  faculties  of  the  soul,  correspond 
also  the  three  appetitive  ones;  the  will,  whose  place  it  is  to 


206  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

choose  those  things  which  the  understanding  and  reason  pro- 
pose to  it;  the  irascible  faculty,  which  embraces  the  things 
offered  to  it  by  reason  and  imagination;  and  the  concupiscible 
faculty,  which  apprehends  the  objects  presented  by  the  imagi- 
nation and  sensation.  Though  these  things  are  true,  or  at 
least  probable,  yet  since  I  fear  that  they  will  involve  us  in  their 
obscurity  rather  than  assist  us,  I  think  they  ought  to  be  omitted. 
If  any  one  choose  to  make  a  different  distribution  of  the 
powers  of  the  soul,  so  as  to  call  one  appetitive  which,  though 
void  of  reason  in  itself,  obeys  reason,  if  it  be  under  the  guidance 
of  any  other  faculty;  and  to  call  another  intellective,  which  is 
itself  a  partaker  of  reason;  I  shall  not  much  oppose  it.  Nor 
have  I  any  wish  to  combat  the  sentiment  of  Aristotle,  that 
there  are  three  principles  of  action;  sense,  intellect,  and  ap- 
petite. But  let  us  rather  choose  a  division  placed  within  the 
comprehension  of  all,  and  which  certainly  cannot  be  sought 
in  the  philosophers.  For  when  they  wish  to  speak  with  the 
greatest  simplicity,  they  divide  the  soul  into  appetite  and  in- 
tellect, and  make  both  these  twofold.  The  latter,  they  say, 
is  sometimes  contemplative,  being  content  merely  with  know- 
ledge, and  having  no  tendency  to  action;  which  Cicero  thinks 
is  designated  by  the  word  ingemiim:  and  sometimes  prac- 
tical, variously  influencing  the  will  with  the  apprehension  of 
good  or  evil.  This  .division  comprehends  the  science  of  living 
in  a  just  and  virtuous  manner.  The  latter,  that  is,  appetite, 
they  divide  into  will  and  concupiscence;  they  call  it  "  will," 
\vhenever  appetite  obeys  reason;  but  when  shaking  off  the  yoke 
of  reason  it  runs  into  intemperance,  they  give  it  the  name  of 
"  concupiscence."  Thus  they  imagine  that  man  is  always 
possessed  of  reason  sufficient  for  the  proper  government  of 
himself. 

VII.  We  are  constrained  to  depart  a  little  from  this  mode 
of  instruction,  because  the  philosophers,  being  ignorant  of  the 
corruption  of  nature  proceeding  from  the  punishment  of  the 
fall,  improperly  confound  two  very  different  states  of  mankind. 
Let  us  therefore  submit  the  following  division:  that  the  human 
oul  has  two  faculties  which  relate  to  our  present  design,  the 
understanding  and  the  will.  Now  let  it  be  the  office  of  the 
understanding  to  discriminate  between  objects,  as  they  shall 


CHAP,  xv.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

respectively  appear  deserving  of  approbation  or  disapproba^ 
tion:  but  of  the  will,  to  choose  and  follow  what  the  under- 
standing shall  have  pronounced  to  be  good;  to  abhor  and 
avoid  what  it  shall  have  condemned.  Here  let  us  not  stay 
to  discuss  those  subtleties  of  Aristotle,  that  the  mind  has  no 
motion  of  itself,  but  that  it  is  moved  by  the  choice,  which  he 
also  calls  the  appetitive  intellect.  Without  perplexing  our- 
selves with  unnecessary  questions,  it  should  be  sufficient  for 
us  to  know  that  the  understanding  is  as  it  were  the  guide  and 
governor  of  the  soul;  that  the  will  always  respects  its  authority, 
and  waits  for  its'  judgment  in  its  desires.  For  which  reason 
Aristotle  himself  truly  observed,  that  avoidance  and  pursuit 
in  the  appetite,  bear  a  resemblance  to  affirmation  and  negation 
in  the  mind.  How  certain  the  government  of  the  understand- 
ing is  in  the  direction  of  the  will,  we  shall  see  in  another  part 
of  this  work.  Here  we  only  intend  to  shew  that  no  power  can 
be  found  in  the  soul,  which  may  not  properly  be  referred  to 
one  or  the  other  of  those  two  members.  But  in  this  manner 
we  comprehend  the  sense  in  the  understanding,  which  some 
distinguish  thus;  sense,  they  say,  inclines  to  pleasure,  whereas 
the  understanding  follows  what  is  good;  that  thence  it  happens 
that  the  appetite  of  sense  becomes  concupiscence  and  lust,  and 
the  affection  of  the  understanding  becomes  will.  But  instead 
of  the  word  "appetite,"  which  they  prefer,  I  use  the  word 
"  will,"  which  is  more  common. 

VIII. [God  hath  furnished  the  soul  of  man  therefore  with 
a  mind  capable  of  discerning  good  from  evil,  and  just  from 
unjust;  and  of  discovering,  by  the  light  of  reason,  what  ought 
to  be  pursued  or  avoided:  -whence  the  philosophers  called  this 
directing  faculty  « nytpotixovj  the  principal  or  governing 
part.  To  this  he  hath  annexed  the  will,  on  which  depends 
the  choice.  The  primitive  condition  of  man  was  ennobled 

.  -  "—  •  I  •         I.  '  "'  "•"•"    •'    l*"*"^*— »«•       •*•  M  III 

with  those  eminent  faculties;  he  possessed  reason,  understand 
ing,  prudence  and  judgment,  not  only  for  the  government  of 
his  life  on  earth,  but  to  enable  him  to  ascend  even  to  God  and 
eternal  felicity.  To  these  _was  added  choice,  to  direct  the 
appetites,  and  regulate  all  the  organic  motions;  so  that  the 
will  was  entirely  conformed  to  the  government  of  reason.  Jn 
this  integrityinjm  w^^ndjue^with  free  will,  by  which,  if  he 


208  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

had  chosen,  he  might  have  obtained  eternal  life.  For  here  it 
would  be  unreasonable  to  introduce  the  question  respecting 
the  secret  predestination  of  God,  because  we  are  not  discussing 
what  might  possibly  have  happened  or  not,  but  what  was  the 
real  nature  of  man.  Adam  therefore  could  have  stood  if  hi; 
would,  since  he  fell  merely  by  his  own  will;  but  because  his 
"will  was  flexible  to  either  side,  and  he  was  not  endued  with 
constancy  to  persevere,  therefore  he  so  easily  fell.  Yet  his 
choice  of  good  and  evil  was  free:  and  not  only  so,  but  his 

"*^"*"**^^***"><l<^W*'-l**|w%«««i(|»~  -•  *  .... 

mind  and  will  were  possessed  of  consummate  rectitude,  and 
all  his  organic  parts  were  rightly  disposed 'to  obedience,  till 
destroying  himself,  he  corrupted  all  his  excellencies.  Hence 
proceeded  the  darkness  which  overspread  the  minds  of  the 
philosophers,  because  they  sought  for  a  complete  edifice  among 
ruins,  and  for  beautiful  order  in  the  midst  of  confusion.  They 
held  this  principle,  that  man  would  not  be  a  rational  animal, 
unless  he  were  endued  with  a  free  choice  of  good  and  evil; 
they  conceived  also  that  otherwise  all  difference  between  virtue 
and  vice  would  be  destroyed,  unless  man  regulated  his  lifr 
according  to  his  own  inclination.  Thus  far  it  had  been  well, 
if  there  had  been  no  change  in  man;  of  which  as  they  were 
ignorant,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  if  they  confound  heaven 
and  earth  together.  But  those  who  profess  themselves  to  be 
the  disciples  of  Christ, and  yet  seek  for  free  will  in  man,  now  lost 
and  overwhelmed  in  spiritual  ruin,  in  striking  out  a  middle 
path  between  the  opinions  of  the  philosophers  and  the  doctrine 
of  heaven,  are  evidently  deceived,  so  that  the}-  touch  neither 
heaven  nor  earth.  But  these  things  will  be  better  introduced 
in  the  proper  place.  At  present  be  it  only  remembered,  that 
man  at  his  first  creation  was  very  different  from  all  his  posterity, 
who  deriving  their  original  from  him  in  his  corrupted  state, 
have  contracted  an  hereditary  defilement.  For  all  the  parts 
of  his  soul  were  formed  with  the  utmost  rectitude;  he  en- 
joyed soundness  of  mind,  and  a  will  five  to  the  choice  oi 
good.  If  any  object,  that  he  was  placed  in  a  dangerous  situa- 
tion on  account  of  the  imbecility  of  this  faculty;  I  reply,  thar 
the  station  in  which  he  w;is  phi<vd  v.  as  sufficient  to  deprive  him 
of  all  excuse.  For  it  would  have  been  unreasonable  that 
God  should  be  confined  to  this  condition,  to  make  man  so  n« 


CHAP,  xvi.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  209 

to  be  altogether  incapable  either  of  choosing  or  of  committing 
any  sin.  It  is  true  that  such  a  nature  would  have  been  more 
excellent;  but  to  expostulate  with  God,  as  though  he  had  been 
under  any  obligation  to  bestow  this  upon  man,  were  unrea- 
sonable and  unjust  in  the  extreme;  since  it  was  at  his  choice       .  , 
to  bestow  as  little  as  he  pleased.  But  why  he  did  not  sustain    // 
him  with  the  power  of  perseverance,  remains  concealed  in  his/  / 
mind:  but  it  is  our  duty  to  restrain  our  investigations  within  tin 
limits  of  sobriety.  He  had  received  the  power  indeed,  if  he 
chose  to  exert  it;  but  he  had  not  the  will  to  use  that  power: 
for  the  consequence  of  this  will  would  have  been  perseverance. 
Yet  there  is  no  excuse  for  him;  he  received  so  much,  that 
he  was  the  voluntary  procurer  of  his  own  destruction;   but 
God  was  under  no  necessity  to  give  him  any  other  than  au. 
indifferent  and  mutable  will,  that  from  bis  fall  he  might  educe 
matter,  for  his  own  glor 


CA*~V*<  3qj 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


God's  Preservation  and  Support  of  the  Worldly  his  Power,  and 
his  Government  of  every  Part  of  it  by  his  Providence. 

L  O  represent  God  as  a  Creator,  only  for  a  moment,  who 
entirely  finished  all  his  work  at  once,  were  frigid  and  jejune: 
and  in  this  it  behoves  us  especially  to  differ  from  the  heathens, 
that  the  presence  of  the  Divine  power  may  appear  to  us  no  less 
in  the  perpetual  state  of  the  world  than  in  its  first  origin.  For 
although  the  minds  even  of  impious  men,  by  the  mere  contem- 
plation of  earth  and  heaven,  are  constrained  to  rise  to  the  Creator, 
yet  faith  has  a  way  peculiar  to  itself  to  assign  to  God  the  whole* 
praise  of  creation.  To  which  purpose  is  that  assertion  of  an 
Apostle,  before  cited,  that  it  is  only  "  through  faith  that  we  under- 
stand the  worlds  were  framed  by  the  word  of  God:"  (/)  because 
unless  we  proceed  to  his  providence,  we  have  no  correct  concep- 
tion of  the  meaning  of  this  article,  "  that  God  is  the  Creator:" 


(0  Hebrews  si.  o. 
VOL.  I.  2  D 


210  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

however  we  may  appear  to  comprehend  it  in  our  minds,  and 

to  confess  it  with  our  tongues.  The  carnal  sense,  when  it  has 

once  viewed  the  power  of  God  in  the  creation,  stops  there: 

and  when  it  proceeds  the  farthest,  it  only  examines  and  con- 

siders the  wisdom  and  power  and  goodness  of  the  Author  in 

producing  such  a  work,  which  spontaneously  present   them- 

selves to  the  view  even  of  those  who  are  unwilling  to  observe 

them.   In  the  next  place,  it  conceives  of   some  general  ope- 

ration of  God  in  preserving  and  governing  it,  on  which  the 

power  of  motion  depends.  Lastly,  it  supposes  that  the  vigour 

originally  infused  by  God  into  all  things  is  sufficient  for  their 

sustentation.   But   faith  ought  to  penetrate  farther.  When    it 

has  learned  that  he  is  the  Creator  of  all  things,  it  should  im- 

mediately conclude,  that  he   is   also  their  perpetual  Governor 

and  Preserver;   and    that  not  by  a  certain  universal   motion, 

actuating  the  whole  machine  of  the  world,  and  all  its  respective 

parts,  but  by  a  particular  providence  sustaining,  nourishing, 

and  providing  for  every  thing  which  he  hath  made,  (in)  Thus 

David,  having  briefly  premised  that  the  world  was  made  by 

God,  immediately  descends  to  the  continual  course  of  his  pro- 

vidence: "  By  the  word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made; 

and  all  the  host  of  them  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth."  (n)  He 

afterwards  adds,  "  The  Lord  beholdeth  all  the  sons  of  men:"  (o) 

and  subjoins  more  to  the  same  purpose.  For  though  all  men 

argue  not  so  skilfully,  yet  since  it  would  not  be  credible  that 

God  was  concerned  about  human  affairs,  if  he  were  not  the 

Maker  of  the  world,  and  no  one  seriously  believes  that  the 

world  was  made  by  God,  who  is  not  persuaded  that  he  takes 

care  of  his  own  works;  it  is  not  without  reason  that  David 

conducts  us  by  a  most  excellent  series  from  one  to  the  other.  In 

general,  indeed,  both  philosophers  teach,  and  the  minds  of  men 

conceive,  that  all  the  parts  of  the  world  are  quickened  by  tht 

secret  inspiration  of  God.  But  they  go  not  so  far  as  David,  who 

is  followed  by  all  the  pious,  when  he  says,  "  These  all  wait  upon 

thee;  that  thou  maycst  give  them  their  meat  in  due  season. 

That  thou  givest  them,  they  gather:  thou  openest  thine  hand, 

ihey  are    filled  with    good.  Thou    hidest   thy  face,  they  are 


Multi  vi.  26.  x.  C?.         00  1'sulm  xxxiii.  6,         (o)  Psalm  xxxiii.  1?. 


CHAP,  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  211 

troubled:  thou  takest  away  their  breath,  they  die,  and  return 
to  their  dust.  Thou  sendest  forth  thy  Spirit,  they  are  created: 
and  thou  renewest  the  face  of  the  earth."  (/>)  Though  the\ 
subscribe  to  the  assertion  of  Paul,  that  in  God  "we  live  and 
move  and  have  our  being;"  (^)  yet  they  are  very  far  from  a 
serious  sense  of  his  favour,  celebrated  by  the  Apostle;  because 
they  have  no  apprehension  of  the  special  care  of  God,  from 
which  alone  his  paternal  favour  is  known. 

II.  For  the  clearer  manifestation  of  this  difference,  it  must 
be  observed,  that  the  providence  of  God,  as  it  is  taught  in  the 
fortuneand  ~ 


^_ 

since  it  has  been  the  common  persuasion  in  all  ages,  and  is 
also  in  the  present  day  almost  the  universal  opinion,  that  all 
things  happen  fortuitously;  it  is  certain  that  every  correct 
sentiment  concerning  providence  is  not  only  obscured,  but 
almost  buried  in  oblivion  by  this  erroneous  notion.  If  any  one 
falls  into  the  hands  of  robbers,  or  meets  with  wild  beasts;  if 
by  a  sudden  storm  he  is  shipwrecked  on  the  ocean;  if  he  is 
killed  by  the  fall  of  a  house  or  a  tree;  if  another,  wandering- 
through  deserts,  finds  relief  for  his  penury,  or  after  having  been 
tossed  about  by  the  waves,  reaches  the  port,  and  escapes  as  it 
were  but  a  hair's-breadth  from  death;  carnal  reason  will  ascribe 
all  these  occurrences,  both  prosperous  and  adverse,  to  fortune. 
But  whoever  has  been  taught  from  the  mouth  of  Christ,  that 
the  hairs  of  his  head  are  all  numbered,  (r)  will  seek  farther  for  a 
cause,  and  conclude  that  all  events  are  governed  by  the  secret 
counsel  of  God.  And  respecting  things  inanimate,  it  must  be 
admitted,  that  though  they  are  all  naturally  endued  with  their 
peculiar  properties,  yet  they  exert  not  their  power,  any  farther 
than  as  they  are  directed  by  the  present  hand  of  God.  They  are 
therefore  no  other  than  instruments,  into  which  God  infuses  as 
much  efficacy  as  he  pleases,  bending  and  turning  them  to  any 
actions  according  to  his  will.  There  is  no  power  among  all  the 
creatures  more  wonderful  and  illustrious,  than  that  of  the  sun. 
For,  beside  his  illumination  of  the  whole  world  by  his  splendour, 
how  astonishing  it  is  that  he  cherishes  and  enlivens  all  animals 
with  his  heat!  with  his  rays  inspires  fecundity  into  the  earth; 

(/>)  Psalm  civ.  27—  30.  (?)  Acts  xvii.  28.  (r)  Matt.  x.  30. 


il!2  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

from  the  seeds,  genially  warmed  in  her  bosom,  produces  a  green 
herbage,  which  being  supported  by  fresh  nourishment,  he 
increases  and  strengthens  till  it  rises  into  stalks;  feeds  them 
with  perpetual  exhalations,  till  they  grow  into  blossoms,  and 
from  blossoms  to  fruit,  which  he  then  by  his  influences  brings 
to  maturity*  that  trees  likewise,  and  vines,  by  his  genial  warmth, 
first  put  forth  leaves,  then  blossoms,  and  from  the  blossoms 
produce  their  fruit!  But  the  Lord,  to  reserve  the  praise  of  all 
these  things  entirely  to  himself,  was  pleased  that  the  light 
should  exist,  and  the  earth  abound  in  every  kind  of  herbs  and 
fruits,  before  he  created  the  sun.  A  pious  man  therefore  will 
not  make  the  sun  either  a  principal  or  necessary  cause  of 
those  things  which  existed  before  the  creation  of  the  sun,  but 
only  an  instrument  which  God  uses,  because  it  is  his  pleasure 
so  to  do:  whereas  he  would  find  no  more  difficulty  in  acting  by 
himself  without  that  luminary.  Lastly,  as  we  read  that  the  sun  re- 
mained in  one  situation  for  two  days  at  the  prayer  of  Joshua,(s) 
and  that  his  shadow  made  a  retrograde  motion  of  ten  degrees 
for  the  sake  of  king  Hezekiah,  (?)  God  hath  declared  by  these 
two  miracles,  that  the  daily  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun  is  not 
from  a  blind  instinct  of  nature,  but  that  he  himself  governs  his 
course,  to  renew  the  memory  of  his  paternal  favour  towards 
us.  Nothing  is  more  natural  than  the  succession  of  spring  to 
winter,  of  summer  to  spring,  and  of  autumn  to  summer.  But 
there  is  such  great  diversity  and  inequality  discovered  in  this 
series,  that  it  is  obvious  that  every  year,  month,  and  day  is 
governed  by  a  new  and  particular  providence  of  God. 

III.  And  indeed  God  asserts  his  possession  of  omnipotence, 
and  claims  our  acknowledgment  of  this  attribute;  not  such  as 
is  imagined  by  sophists,  vain,  idle,  and  almost  asleep,  but  vigi- 
lant, efficacious,  operative,  and  engaged  in  continual  action; 
not  a  mere  general  principle  of  confused  motion,  as  if  he 
should  command  a  river  to  flow  through  the  channels  once 
made  for  it,  but  a  power  constantly  exerted  on  every  distinct 
and  particular  movement.  For  he  is  accounted  omnipotent, 
not  because  he  is  able  to  act,  yet  sits  down  in  idleness,  or  con- 
"mues  by  a  general  instinct  the  order  of  nature  originally 

(«)  Josh-ia  v  I?.  (/)  2  Kings' xx.  1J. 


(.HAP.  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION,  213 

appointed  by  him;  but  because  he  governs  heaven  and  earth 
by  his  providence,  and  regulates  all  things  in  such  a  manner 
that  nothing  happens  but  according  to  his  counsel.  For  when 
it  is  said  in  the  Psalms,  that  he  doth  whatsoever  he  pleaseth,  (y) 
it  denotes  his  certain  and  deliberate  will.  For  it  would  be  quite 
insipid  to  expound  the  words  of  the  Prophet  in  the  philoso- 
phical manner,  that  God  is  the  prime  Agent,  because  he  is 
the  principle  and  cause  of  all  motion:  whereas  the  faithful 

«  • «5 

.should  rather  encourage  themselves  in  adversity  with  this  con- 
solation, that  they  suffer  no  affliction,  but  by  the  ordination 
and  command  of  God;  because  they  are  under  his  hand.  But 
if  the  government  of  God  be  thus  extended  to  all  his  works, 
it  is  a  puerile  cavil,  to  limit  it  to  the  influence  and  course  of 
nature.  And  they  not  only  defraud  God  of  his  glory,  but 
themselves  of  a  very  useful  doctrine,  who  confine  the  Divine 
providence  within  such  narrow  bounds,  as  though  he  permitted 
all  things  to  proceed  in  an  uncontrolled  course  according  to  a 
perpetual  law  of  nature:  for  nothing  would  exceed  the  misery 
of  man,  if  he  were  exposed  to  all  the  motions  of  the  heaven, 
air,  earth,  and  waters.  Besides,  this  notion  would  shamefully 
diminish  the  singular  goodness  of  God  towards  every  individual. 
David  exclaims,  that  infants  yet  hanging  on  the  breasts  of  their 
mothers,  are  sufficiently  eloquent  to  celebrate  the  glory  of 
God;  (ty)  because  as  soon  as  they  are  born,  they  find  aliment 
prepared  for  them  by  his  heavenly  care.  This  indeed  is 
generally  true,  yet  it  cannot  escape  the  observation  of  our 
eyes  and  senses,  being  evidently  proved  by  experience,  that 
some  mothers  have  breasts  full  and  copious,  but  others  almost 
dry;  as  it  pleases  God  to  provide  more  liberally  for  one,  but 
more  sparingly  for  another.  But  they  who  ascribe  just  praise 
to  the  Divine  omnipotence,  received  from  this  a  double  advan- 
tage. In  the  first  place,  he  must  have  ample  ability  to  bless 
them,  who  possesses  heaven  and  earth,  and  whose  will  all  the. 
creatures  regard  so  as  to  devote  themselves  to  his  service.  And 
secondly,  they  may  securely  repose  in  his  protection,  to  whose 
will  are  subject  all  those  evils  which  can  be  feared  from  any 
quarter;  by  whose  power  Satan  is  restrained  with  all  his  furies, 

(«)  Psalm  cxv.  3-  («)  Psalm  viii.  r. 


214  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  r. 

and  all  his  machinations;  on  whose  will  depends  all  that  is 
inimical  to  our  safety:  nor  is  there  any  thing  else  by  which 
those  immoderate  and  superstitious  feai's,  which  we  frequently 
feel  on  the  sight  of  dangers,  can  be  corrected  or  appeased. 
We  are  superstitiously  timid,  I  say,  if,  whenever  creatures 
menace  or  terrify  us,  we  are  frightened,  _as_thowgh_  they_had 
of  themselves  the  power  to  hurt  us,  or  could  fortuitously  injure 
us;  or  as  if  against  their  injuries  God  were  unable  to  afford 
us  sufficient  aid.  For  example,  the  Prophet  forbids  the  chil- 
dren of  God  to  fear  the  stars  and  the  signs  of  heaven,  (.r)  as  is 
tht  custom  of  unbelievers.  He  certainly  condemns  not  every  kind 
of  fear.  But  when  infidels  transfer  the  government  of  the  world 
from  God  to  the  stars,  pretending  that  their  happiness  or  misery 
depends  on  the  decrees  and  presages  of  the  stars,  and  not  on 
the  will  of  God,  the  consequence  is,  that  their  fear  is  withdrawn 
from  him,  whom  alone  they  ought  to  regard,  and  is  placed  on 
stars  and  comets.  Whoever  then  desires  to  avoid  this  infidelity, 
let  him  constantly  remember,  that  in  the  creatures  there  is  no 
erratic  power,  or  action,  or  motion;  but  that  they  are  so  go- 
verned by  the  secret  counsel  of  God,  that  nothingjcan_Jiap- 
pen  but  what  is  subject  to  his  knowledge,  and  decree:d_by  his 
will. 

IV.  First,  then,  let  the  reader  know  that  what  is  called 
providence  describes  God,  not  as  idly  beholding  from  heaven 
the  transactions  which  happen  in  the  world,  but  as  holding  the 
helm  of  the  universe,  and  regulating  all  events.  Thus  it  be- 
longs no  less  to  his  hands  than  to  his  eyes.  When  Abraham 
said  to  his  son,  "  God  will  provide,"  (j/)  he  intended  not  only 
to  assert  his  prescience  of  a  future  event,  but  to  leave  the  care 
of  a  thing  unknown  to  the  will  of  him  who  frequently  puts  an 
end  to  circumstances  of  perplexity  and  confusion.  Whence  it 
follows,  that  providence  consists  in  action;  for  it  is  ignorant 
trifling  to  talk  of  mere  prescience.  Not  quite  so  gross  is  the 
error  of  those  who  attribute  to  God  a  government,  as  I  have 
observed,  of  a  confused  and  promiscuous  kind;  acknowledging 
that  God  revolves  and  impels  the  machine  of  the  world,  with 
•*1J  its  parts,  by  a  general  motion,  without  peculiarly  directing 

Ter.  x.  °  ( ;,-)  Gen.  xxii.  8. 


qHAP.  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  215 

the  action  of  each  individual  creature.  Yet  even  this  error  is 
not  to  be  tolerated.    For  they  maintain  that  this  providence, 
which  they  call  universal,  is  no  impediment  either  to  all  the 
creatures  being  actuated  contingently,  or  to  man  turning  him- 
self hither  or  thither  at  the  free  choice  of  his  own  will.  And 
they    make   the   following  partition  between    God    and  man; 
that  God  by  his  power  inspires  him  with  motions,  enabling 
him  to  act  according  to  the  tendency  of  the  nature  with  which 
he  is  endued;  but  that  man  governs  his  actions  by  his  own  volun- 
tary choice.    In  short  they  conceive,  that  the  world,  human 
affairs,  and  men  themselves,  are  governed  by  the  power  of  God, 
but  not  by  his  appointment.  I  speak  not  of  the  Epicureans, 
who  have  always  infested  the  world,  who  dream  of  a  God 
absorbed  in  sloth  and  inactivity;  and  of  others,  no  less  erro- 
neous, who  formerly  pretended  that  the  dominion  of  God  ex- 
tended over   the    middle  region  of  the  air,  but    that  he  left 
inferior   things  to   Fortune;   since  the  mute  creatures  them- 
selves sufficiently  exclaim  against  such  evident  stupidity.  My 
present  design   is  to  refute    that  opinion,  which    has   almost 
generally  prevailed,  which,  conceding  to   God  a  sort  of  blind 
and    uncertain  motion,   deprives  him  of  the  principal  thing, 
which  is  his  directing  and  disposing,  by  his  incomprehensible 
wisdom,  all  things  to  their  proper  end:  and  thus  robbing  God 
of  the  government  of  the  world,  it  makes  him  the  ruler  of  it 
in  name  only,  and  not  in  reality.    For  pray  what  is  governing, 
but  presiding  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  rule  by  fixed  decrees 
those  over  whom  you   preside?  Yet   I   reject  not   altogether 
what  they  assert  concerning   universal  providence;  provided 
they  on  their  part  admit  that  God  governs  the  world,  not  merely 
because  he  preserves  the  order  of  nature  fixed  by  himself,  but 
because  he  exercises  a  peculiar  care  over  every  one  of  his  works. 
It  is  true  that  all  things  are  actuated  by  a  secret  instinct  of  nature, 
as  though  they  obeyed  the  eternal  command  of  God,  and  that 
what  God  hath  once  appointed,  appears  to  proceed  from  volun- 
tary inclination  in  the  creatures.  And  to  this  may  be  referred  the 
declaration  of  Christ,  that  his  Father  and  himself  had  always 
been  working,  even  from  the  beginning:  (z)  and  the  assertion  of 

(S  John  v.  17. 


216  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  j. 

Paul,  that  "  in  him  we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being:"  («) 
and  also  what  is  observed  by  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews,  with  a  design  to  prove  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  that 
all  things  are  sustained  by  the  word  of  his  power.  (6)  But  they 
act  very  improperly  in  concealing  and  obscuring,  by  this  pre- 
text, the  doctrine  of  a  particular  providence,  which  is  asserted 
in  such  plain  and  clear  testimonies  of  Scripture,  that  it  is  sur- 
prising how  any  one  could  entertain  a  doubt  concerning  it. 
And  certainly,  they  who  conceal  it  with  this  veil  which  I  have 
mentioned,  are  obliged  to  correct  themselves  by  adding,  that 
many  things  happen  through  the  peculiar  care  of  God:  but 
this  they  erroneously  restrict  to  some  particular  acts.  Where- 
fore we  have  to  prove,  that  God  attends  to  the  government  of 
particular  events,  and  that  they  all  proceed  from  his  determi- 
nate counsel,  in  such  a  manner  that  there  can  be  no  such  thing 
as  fortuitous  contingence. 

V.  If  we  grant  that  the  principle  of  motion  originates  from 
God,  but  that  all  things  are  spontaneously  or  accidentally  carried 
whither  the  bias  of  nature  impels  them,  the  mutual  vicissitudes 
of  day  and  night,  of  winter  and  summer,  will  be  the  work  of 
God,  inasmuch  as  he  hath  distributed  to  each  its  respective 
parts,  and  prescribed  to  them  a  certain  law:  that  is,  this  would 
be  the  case  if  with  even  tenor  they  always  observed  the  same 
measure,  days  succeeding  to  nights,  months  to  months,  and 
years  to  years.  But  sometimes  excessive  heats  and  drought 
parch  and  burn  the  fruits  of  the  earth;  sometimes  unseasonable 
rains  injure  the  crops  of  corn,  and  sudden  calamities  are  occa- 
sioned by  showers  of  hail  and  storms:  this  will  not  be  the 
work  of  God;  unless  perhaps,  as  either  clouds  or  serene  wea- 
ther, or  cold  or  heat,  derive  their  origin  from  the  opposition 
of  the  stars  and  other  natural  causes.  But  this  representation 
leaves  no  room  for  God  to  display  or  exercise  his  paternal 
favour,  or  his  judgments.  If  they  say  that  God  is  sufficiently 
beneficent  to  man,  because  he  infuses  into  heaven  and  earth 
an  ordinary  power,  by  which  they  supply  him  with  food,  it  is 
a  very  flimsy  and  profane  notion;  as  though  the  fecundity  of 
one  year  were  not  the  singular  benediction  of  God,  and  as 

(a)  Acts  xvii.  28.  0)  Heb.  i.  3. 


CHAP,  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  217 

though  penury  and  famine  were  not  his  malediction  and  venge- 
ance. But  as  it  would  be  tedious  to  collect  all  the  reasons  for 
rejecting  this  error,  let  us  be  content  with  the  authority  of  God 
himself.  In  the  Law  and  in  the  Prophets  he  frequently  declares, 
that  whenever  he  moistens  the  earth  with  dew  or  with  rain,  he 
affords  a  testimony  of  his  favour;  and  that  on  the  contrary,  when 
at  his  command  heaven  becomes  hard  as  iron,  when  the  crops 
of  corn  are  blasted  and  otherwise  destroyed,  and  when  showers 
of  hail  and  storms  molest  the  fields,  he  gives  a  proof  of  his 
certain  and  special  vengeance.  If  we  believe  these  things,  it  is 
certain  that  not  a  drop  of  rain  falls  but  at  the  express  com- 
.onand  of  God.  David  indeed  praises  the  general  providence 
of  God,  because  "  he  giveth  food  to  the  young  ravens  which 
cry:"  (c)  but  when  God  himself  threatens  animals  with  famine, 
does  he  not  plainly  declare,  that  he  feeds  all  living  creatures, 
sometimes  with  a  smaller  allowance,  sometimes  with  a  larger, 
as  he  pleases?  It  is  puerile,  as  I  have  already  observed,  to 
restrain  this  to  particular  acts;  whereas  Christ  says,  without 
any  exception,  that  not  a  sparrow  of  the  least  value  falls  to  the 
ground  without  the  will  of  the  Father.  (^/)  Certainly  if  the 
flight  of  birds  be  directed  by  the  unerring  counsel  of  God, 
we  must  be  constrained  to  confess  with  the  Prophet,  that 
though  "  he  dwelleth  on  high,"  yet  he  "  humbleth  himself  to 
behold  the  things  which  are  in  heaven  and  in  the  earth."  (e) 

VI.  But  as  we  know  that  the  world  was  made  chiefly  for 
the  sake  of  mankind,  we  must  also  observe  this  end  in  the 
government  of  it.  The  Prophet  Jeremiah  exclaims, "  I  know 
that  the  way  of  man  is  not  in  himself:  it  is  not  in  man  that 
walketh  to  direct  his  steps."  (y)  And  Solomon:  "  Man's 
goings  are  of  the  Lord:  how  can  a  man  then  understand  his 
own  way?"^)  Now  let  them  say,  that  man  is  actuated  by  God 
according  to  the  bias  of  his  nature,  but  that  he  directs  that  in- 
fluence according  to  his  own  pleasure.  If  this  could  be  asserted 
with  truth,  man  would  have  the  free  choice  of  his  own  ways* 
That  perhaps  they  will  deny,  because  he  can  do  nothing 
independently  of  the  power  of  God.  But  since  it  is  evident 
that  both  the  Prophet  and  Solomon  ascribe  to  God  choice  and 

(c)  Psalm  cxlvii.  9.  (<f)  Matt.  x.  29.  (e)  Psalm  cxiii.  5,  6. 

(/)  Jer.  x.  23.  (g)  Prov.  xx.  24. 

VOL.  k  2  E 


218  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i; 

appointment,  as  well  as  power,  this  by  no  means  extricates  them 
from  the  difficulty.  But  Solomon,  in  another  place,  elegantly 
reproves  this  temerity  of  men,  who  predetermine  on  an  end 
for  themselves  without  regard  to  God,  as  though  they  were  not 
led  by  his  hand:  "  The  preparation  of  the  heart  in  man,"  says 
he,  "  and  the  answer  of  the  tongue,  is  from  the  Lord."  (A)  It  is 
indeed  a  ridiculous  madness  for  miserable  men  to  resolve  on  un- 
dertaking any  work  independently  of  God,  whilst  they  cannot 
even  speak  a  word  but  what  he  chooses*  Moreover,  the  Scrip- 
ture, more  fully  to  express  that  nothing  is  transacted  in  the  world 
but  according  to  his  destination,  sheAvs  that  those  things  are 
subject  to  him  which  appear  most  fortuitous.  For  what  would 
you  be  more  ready  to  attribute  to  chance,  than  when  a  limb 
broken  off   from  a    tree  kills  a  passing    traveller?    But    very 
different  is  the  decision  of  the  Lord,  who  acknowledges  that 
he  hath  delivered  him  into  the  hand  of  the  slayer,  (z)  Who 
likewise  does  not  leave  lots  to  the  blindness  of  fortune?  Yet  the 
Lord  leaves  them  not,  but  claims  the  disposal  of  them  himself. 
He  teaches  us  that  it  is  not  by  any  power  of  their  own  that  lots 
are  cast  into  the  lap  (>£)  and  drawn  out;    but  the  only  thing 
•which  could  be  ascribed  to  chance,  he  declares  to  belong  to 
himself.  To  the  same  purpose  is  another  passage  from  Solo- 
mon: "  The  rich  and  the  poor  meet  together:  the  Lord  en- 
lighteneth  the  eyes  of  them  both."  (/)  For  although  the  poor 
and  the  rich  are  blended  together  in  the  world,  yet  as  their 
respective  conditions  are  assigned  to  them  by  Divine  appoint- 
ment, he  suggests  that  God  who  enlightens  all  is  not  blind, 
and  thus  exhorts  the  poor  to  patience;  because  those  who  are 
discontented  with  their  lot,  are  endeavouring  to  shake  off  the 
burden  imposed  on  them  by  God.  Thus  also  another  Prophet 
rebukes  profane  persons,  who  attribute  it  to  human  industry, 
or  to  fortune,  that  some  men  remain  in  obscurity,  and  others 
rise  to  honours:  "Promotion  cometh  neither  from  the   east, 
nor  from  the  west,  nor  from  the  south.  But  God  is  the  Judge: 
he  putteth  down  one,  and  setteth  up  another."  (/n)  Since  God 
cannot  divest  himself  of  the  office  of  a  Judge;  hence  he  reasons ; 

(A)  Prov.  xvi.  I.  (0  Exod.  xxi.  IS. 

(*)  Prov.  xvi.  33.  (1)  Prov.  xxii.  2. 

(•w)  Psalm  Ixxv.  6,  7. 


CHAP,  xvi.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  219 

that  it  is  from  the  secret  counsel  of  God,  that  some  rise  to 
promotion,  and  others  remain  in  con  empt. 

VII.  Moreover,  particular  events  are  in  general  proofs  of 
the  special  providence  of  God.  God  raised  in  the  desert  a 
south  wind  to  convey  to  the  people  a  large  flock  of  birdsv  (n) 
When  he  would  have  Jonah  thrown  into  the  sea,  he  sent  forth 
a  wind  to  raise  a  tempest,  (o)  It  will  be  said  by  them,  who 
suppose  God  not  to  hold  the  helm  of  world,  that  this  was  a 
deviation  from  the  common  course  of  things.  But  the  conclu- 
sion which  I  deduce  from  it  is,  that  no  wind  ever  rises  or  blows 
but  by  the  special  command  of  God.  For  otherwise  it  would 
not  be  true  that  he  maketh  the  winds  his  messengers,  and  a 
flame  of  fire  his  ministers,  that  he  maketh  the  clouds  his  chariot, 
and  rideth  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  ( p}  unless  he  directed  at  his 
pleasure  the  course  both  of  the  clouds  and  of  the  winds,  and 
displayed  in  them  the  singular  presence  of  his  power.  Thus 
also  we  are  elsewhere  taught,  that  whenever  the  sea  is  blown 
into  a  tempest  by  the  winds,  those  commotions  prove  the 
special  presence  of  God.  "  He  commandeth  and  raiseth  the 
stormy  wind,  which  lifteth  up  the  waves"  of  the  sea.  "  Then 
he  maketh  the  storm  a  calm,  so  that  the  waves  thereof  are 
still;"  (y)  as  in  another  place  he  proclaims,  that  he  scourged 
the  people  with  parching  winds,  (r)  Thus  whilst  men  are 
naturally  endued  with  a  power  of  generation,  yet  God  witt 
have  it  acknowledged  as  the  effect  of  his  special  favour,  that 
he  leaves  some  without  any  posterity,  and  bestows  children  on 
others:  for  "  the  fruit  of  the  womb  is  his  reward."  (s)  Therefore 
Jacob  said  to  his  wife,  "  Am  I  in  God's  stead,  who  hath  with- 
held from  thee  the  fruit  of  the  womb?"  (f)  But  to  conclude, 
there  is  nothing  more  common  in  nature,  than  for  us  to  be 
nourished  with  bread.  But  the  Spirit  declares,  not  only  that 
the  produce  of  the  earth  is  the  special  gift  of  God,  but  that 
men  do  not  live  by  bread  alone;  (t>)  because  they  are  supported 
not  by  the  abundance  of  their  food,  but  by  the  secret  bene- 
^diction  of  God:  as,  on  the  contrary,  he  threatens  that  he  wjjl 

(H)  Exod.  xvi.  13.     Num.  xi.  31.  (o)  Jonah  i.  4. 

(/;)  Psalm  civ.  3,  4.  (?)  Psalm  cvii.  25,  29. 

(r)  Amos  iv.  9.  Haggai  i.  6—11.  (s)  Psalm  cxxvii.  3, 

(f)  Gen.  XXX.  2.  O)  DeuJ.  via.  3. 


220  INSTITUTES  OF  THL  [BOOK  i. 

break  "  the  stay  of  bread."  (w)  Nor  indeed  could  we  other- 
wise seriously  offer  a  prayer  for  daily  bread,  if  God  did  not 
supply  us  \vith  food  from  his  fatherly  hand.  The  Prophet 
therefore,  to  convince  the  faithful  that  in  feeding  them  God 
acts  the  part  of  an  excellent  father  of  a  family,  informs  us, 
that  he  "  giveth  food  to  all  flesh."  (#)  Lastly,  when  we  hear 
on  the  one  hand,  that  "  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  upon  the 
righteous,  and  his  ears  are  open  unto  their  cry;"  and  on  the 
other,  that  "  the  face  of  the  Lord  is  against  them  that  do 
evil,  to  cut  off  the  remembrance  of  them  from  the  earth;"  (y) 
we  may  be  assured  that  all  creatures,  above  and  below,  are 
ready  for  his  service,  that  he  may  apply  them  to  any  use  that 
he  pleases.  Hence  we  conclude,  not  only  that  there  is  a 
general  providence  of  God  over  the  creatures,  to  continue  the 
order  of  nature;  but  that  by  his  wonderful  counsel  they  are  all 
directed  to  some  specific  and  proper  end. 

VIII.  Those  who  wish  to  bring  an  odium  on  this  doctrine, 
calumniate  it  as  the  same  with  the  opinion  of  the  Stoics  con- 
cerning fate;  with  which  Augustine  also  was  formerly  re- 
proached. Though  we  are  averse  to  all  contentions  about 
words,  yet  we  admit  not  the  term  fate:  both  because  it  is  of 
that  novel  and  profane  kind  which  Paul  teaches  us  to  avoid, 
and  because  they  endeavour  to  load  the  truth  of  God  with  the 
odium  attached  to  it.  But  that  dogma  is  falsely  and  maliciously 
charged  upon  us.  For  we  do  not,  with  the  Stoics,  imagine  a 
f  J  necessity  arising  from  a  perpetual  concatenation  and  intricate 
'  3  series  of  causes,  contained  i^n  nature;  but  we  make  God  the 
Arbiter  and  Governor  of  all  things^who  in  his  own  wisdom 
hath  from  the  remotest  eternity  decreed  what  he  would  do, 
and  now  by  his  own  power  executes  what  he  hath  decreed. 
Whence  we  assert,  that  not  only  the  heaven  and  the  earth  and 
inanimate  creatures,  but  also  the  deliberations  and  volitions 
of  men,  are  so  governed  by  his  providence,  as  to  be  directed  to 
the  end  appointed  by  it.  What  then?  you  will  say;  does  no- 
thing happen  fortuitously  or  contingently?  I  answer,  that  it 
was  truly  observed  by  Basil  the  Great,  that  fortune  and  chance 
are  the  words  of  heathens,  with  the  signification  of  which  the 

(w)  Isaiah  Hi.  1.       (r)  Psalm  cxxxvi.  25.       (7)  Psalm  xxxiv.  15, 16», 


<;HAP.  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  221 

minds  of  the  pious  ought  not  to  be  occupied.  For  if  all  success 
be  the  benediction  of  God,  and  calamity  and  adversity  his 
malediction,  there  is  no  room  left  in  human  affairs  for  fortune 
or  chance.  And  we  should  attend  to  this  declaration  of  Augus- 
tine: "  I  am  not  pleased  with  myself,"  says  he,  "  for  having 
in  my  Treatises  against  the  Academics,  so  frequently  men- 
tioned fortune,  although  I  have  not  intended  by  that  word  any 
goddess,  but  a  fortuitous  occurrence  of  external  things,  either 
good  or  evil.  Hence  also  such  words,  the  use  of  which  no 
religion  prohibits,  as  perhaps,  possibly,  per  ad-venture,  which 
nevertheless  must  be  entirely  referred  to  the  Divine  provi- 
dence. And  on  this  I  have  not  been  silent,  remarking  that 
perhaps  what  is  commonly  termed  fortune,  is  regulated  by  a 
secret  order,  and  that  what  we  call  chance  is  only  that,  with 
the  reason  and  cause  of  which  we  are  not  acquainted.  Thus 
indeed  I  have  expressed  myself,  but  I  repent  of  having  mentioned 
fortune  in  this  manner;  since  I  see  that  men  are  habituated 
to  a  very  sinful  custom:  when  they  ought  to  say,  'This  was 
the  will  of  God,*  they  say,  *  This  was  the  will  of  Fortune.' '' 
Finally,  he  every  where  maintains,  that  if  any  thing  be  left  to 
fortune,  the  world  revolves  at  random.  And  though  he  else- 
where decides,  that  all  things  are  conducted  partly  by  the  free 
vrill  of  man,  partly  by  the  providence  of  God,  yet  he  just  after 
shews  that  men  are  subject  to  it  and  governed  by  it,  assuming 
as  a  principle  that  nothing  could  be  more  absurd  than  for  any 
thing  to  happen  independently  of  the  ordination  of  God;  be- 
cause it  would  happen  at  random.  By  this  reasoning  he  ex- 
cludes also  any  contingence  dependant  on  the  human  will;  and 
immediately  after  more  expressly  asserts  that  we  ought  not  to 
inquire  for  any  cause  of  the  will  of  God.  But  in  what  sense 
permission  ought  to  be  understood,  whenever  it  is  mentioned 
by  him,  will  appear  from  one  passage;  where  he  proves  that 
the  will  of  God  is  the  supreme  and  first  cause  of  all  things, 
because  nothing  happens  but  by  his  command  or  permission. 
He  certainly  does  not  suppose  God  to  remain  an  idle  specta- 
tor, determining  to  permit  any  thing;  there  is  an  interven- 
tion of  actual  volition,  if  I  may  be  allowed  the  expression, 
which  otherwise  could  never  be  considered  as  a  cause. 

IX.  Yet  since  the  dulness  of  our  minds  is  very  much  below 


222  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

the  sublimity  of  the  Divine  providence,  let  us  endeavour  to 
assist  them  by  a  distinction.  I  say  then,  that  notwithstanding 
the  ordination  of  all  things  by  the  certain  purpose  and  direc- 
tion of  God,  yet  to  us  they  are  fortuitous:  not  that  we  sup- 
pose fortune  holds  any  dominion  over  the  world  and  mankind, 
and  whirls  about  all  things  at  random,  for  such  folly  ought  to 
be  far  from  the  breast  of  a  Christian;  but  because  the  order, 
reason,  and  necessity  of  events  are  chiefly  concealed  in  the 
purpose  of  Gcfd,  and  not  comprehended  by  the  mind  of  man, 
those  things  are  in  some  measure  fortuitous,  which  must  cer- 
tainly happen  according  to  the  Divine  will.  For  they  present 
no  other  appearance,  whether  they  are  considered  in  their  own 
nature,  or  are  estimated  according  to  our  knowledge  and  judg- 
ment. [Let  us  suppose,  for  example,  that  a  merchant,  having 
entered"  a  wood  in  the  company  of  honest  men,  imprudently 
wanders  from  his  companions,  and  pursuing  a  wrong  course 
falls  into  the  hands  of  robbers,  and  is  murdered.  His  death 
was  not  only  foreseen  by  God,  but  also  decreed  by  him7|For  it 
is  said,  not  that  he  hath  foreseen  to  what  limits  the  life  of  every 
man  would  extend,  but  that  he  "hath  appointed  bounds 
which  he  cannot  pass."  (z)  Yet  as  far  as  our  minds  are  capable 
of  comprehending,  all  these  circumstances  appear  fortuitous. 
What  opinion  shall  a  Christian  form  on  this  case?  He  will 
consider  all  the  circumstances  of  such  a  death  as  fortuitous; 
yet  he  will  not  doubt  that  the  providence  of  God  presided, 
and  directed  fortune  to  that  end.  The  same  reasoning 
will  apply  to  future  contingencies.  All  future  things  being 
uncertain  to  us,  we  hold  them  in  suspense,  as  though  they 
might  happen  either  one  way  or  another.  Yet  this  remains 
a  fixed  principle  in  our  hearts,  that  there  will  be  no  event 
which  God  hath  not  ordained.  In  this  sense  the  word  chance  is 
frequently  repeated  in  the  book  of  Ecclesiastes;  because  on  the 
first  view  men  penetrate  not  to  the  first  cause,  which  lies  deeply 
concealed.  Thus  the  Philistine  sorcerers,  though  they  fluctuated 
in  uncertainty,  ascribed  adverse  accidents  partly  to  God,  partly 
to  fortune.  "  If  the  ark,"  say  they,  "  goeth  up  by  that  way, 
we  shall  know  that  God  hath  done  us  this  great  evil,  but  if  not, 

(3)  Job  xiv.  5. 


.  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  223 

it  was  a  chance  that  happened  to  us."  (a)  They  betrayed  great 
folly  indeed,  after  having  been  deceived  by  divination,  to  have 
recourse  to  fortune;  yet  at  the  same  time  we  see  them  restrained, 
so  that  they  cannot  dare  to  suppose,  the  affliction  which  had 
befallen  them  was  fortuitous.  But  how  God,  by  the  reins  of  his 
providence,  directs  all  events  according  to  his  own  pleasure, 
will  appear  by  an  eminent  example.  At  the  very  same  instant 
of  time  when  David  had  been  overtaken  in  the  wilderness  of 
Maon,  behold  the  Philistines  made  an  irruption  into  the  land, 
and  Saul  was  compelled  to  depart.  If  God,  consulting  the 
safety  of  his  servant,  laid  this  impediment  in  the  way  of  Saul, 
then  surely  though  the  Philistines  might  have  taken  up  arms 
suddenly  and  contrary  to  human  expectation,  yet  we  will  not 
say  that  this  happened  by  chance;  but  what  to  us  seems  a 
contingency,  faith  will  acknowledge  to  have  been  a  secret  im- 
.  pulse  of  God.  It  is  not  always  indeed  that  there  appears  a 
similar  reason,  but  it  should  be  considered  as  indubitably 
certain,  that  all  the  revolutions  visible  in  the  world  proceed 
from  the  secret  exertion  of  the  Divine  power.  ;What  God 
decrees,  must  necessarily  come  to  pass;  yet  it  is  notlby  absolute 
or  natural  necessity.  We  find  a  familiar  example  in  the  bones 
of  Christ.  Since  he  possessed  a  body  like  ours,  no  reasonable 
man  will  deny  that  his  bones  were  capable  of  being  broken;  yet 
that  they  should  be  broken  was  impossible.  Hence  again  we 
perceive,  that  the  distinctions  of  relative  and  absolute  necessity, 
as  well  as  necessity  of  consequent  and  necessity  of  consequence, 
were  not  without  reason  invented  in  the  schools:  since  God 
made  the  bones  of  his  Son  capable  of  being  broken,  which 
however  he  had  exempted  from  being  actually  broken,  and 
thus  prevented  by  the  necessity  of  his  purpose  what  might 
naturally  have  come  to  pass,  j 

(«)  1  Snm 

" 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK 


CHAPTER  XVH. 

The  proper  Application  of  this  Doctrine  to  render  It  useful 

to  us. 


the  minds  of  men  are  prone  to  vain  subtleties,  there  is 
the  greatest  danger  that  those  who  know  not  the  right  use  of 
this  doctrine  will  embarrass  themselves  with  intricate  per- 
plexities. It  will  therefore  be  necessary  to  touch  in  a  brief 
manner  on  the  end  and  design  of  the  Scripture  doctrine  of  the 
Divine  ordination  of  all  things.  And  here  let  it  be  remarked, 
in  the  first  place,  that  the  providence  of  God  is  to  be  con- 
sidered as  well  in  regard  to  futurity,  as  in  reference  to  that 
which  is  past;  secondly,  that  it  governs  all  things  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  operate  sometimes  by  the  intervention  of  means, 
sometimes  without  means,  and  sometimes  in  opposition  to  all 
means;  lastly,  that  it  tends  to  shew  the  care  of  God  for  the 
whole  human  race,  and  especially  his  vigilance  in  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Church,  which  he  favours  with  more  particular 
attention.  It  must  also  be  observed,  that  although  the  paternal 
favour  and  beneficence  of  God,  or  the  seventy  of  his  justice,  is 
frequently  conspicuous  in  the  whole  course  of  his  'providence; 
yet  sometimes  the  causes  of  events  are  concealed,  so  that  a 
suspicion  intrudes  itself,  that  the  revolutions  of  human  affairs 
are  conducted  by  the  blind  impetuosity  of  fortune;  or  the 
flesh  solicits  us  to  murmur,  as  though  God  amused  himself 
with  tossing  men  about  like  tennis-balls.  It  is  true  indeed,  if 
we  were  ready  to  learn  with  quiet  and  sober  minds,  that  the 
final  issue  sufficiently  proves  the  counsels  of  God  to  be  directed 
by  the  best  of  reasons;  that  he  designs  either  to  teach  his 
people  the  exercise  of  patience,  or  to  correct  their  corrupt  affec- 
tions and  subdue  the  licentiousness  of  their  appetites,  or  to  con^ 
strain  them  to  the  practice  of  self-denial,  or  to  arouse  them  from 
their  indolence;  and  on  the  other  hand  to  abase  the  proud,  to 
disappoint  the  cunning  of  the  wicked,  and  to  confound  their 
machinations.  Yet,  however  the  causes  may  be  concealed  from 
us,  or  escape  our  observation,  we  must  admit  it  as  a  certain 
truth,  that  they  are  hidden  with  him;  and  must  therefor* 


CHAP-  xvii.]     CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

exclaim  with  David,  "  Many,  O  Lord  my  God,  are  thy  wonder- 
ful works  which  thou  hast  done,  and  thy  thoughts  which  are  to 
us-ward:  they  cannot  be  reckoned  up  in  order  unto  thee:  if  I 
would  declare  and  speak  of  them,  they  are  more  than  can  be 
numbered."  (£)  For  though  our  miseries  ought  always  to  re- 
mind us  of  our  sins,  that  the  punishment  itself  may  urge  us 
to  repentance;  yet  we  see  that  Christ  ascribes  more  sovereignty 

J  -•  .    .,       .         .         o      .-•> 

to  the  secret  purpose  of  the  Father  in  afflicting  nn.ii,  than  to 
require  him  to  punish  every  individual  according  to  his  de- 
merits. For  concerning  him  who  was  born  blind,  he  says, 
"  Neither  hath  this  man  sinned,  nor  his  parents:  but  that  the 
works  of  God  should  be  made  manifest  in  him."  (c)  For  here 
sense  murmurs,  when  calamity  precedes  the  very  birth,  as 
though  it  were  a  detraction  from  the  Divine  clemency  thus 
to  afflict  the  innocent.  But  Christ  declares  that  the  glory  of 
his  Father  is  manifested  in  this  instance,  provided  our  eyes 
are  clear  to  behold  it.  But  we  must  proceed  with  modesty, 
Cautious  that  we  call  not  God  to  an  account  at  our  tribunal; 
but-that  we  entertain  such  reverence  for  his  secret  judgments, 
as  to  esteem  his  will  the  most  righteous  cause  of  every  thing 
that  he  does.  When  thick  clouds  obscure  the  heaven,  and  a 
violent  tempest  arises,  because  a  gloomy  mist  is  before  our 
eyes,  and  thunder  strikes  our  ears,  and  terror  stupefies  all  our 
faculties,  all  things  seem  to  us  to  be  blended  in  confusion; 
yet  during  the  whole  time  the  heavens  remain  in  the  same 
quiet  serenity.  So  it  must  be  concluded,  that  while  the  turbu- 
lent state  of  the  world  deprives  us  of  our  judgment,  God  by 
the  pure  light  of  his  own  righteousness  and  wisdom,  regulates 
all  those  commotions  in  the  most  exact  order,  and  directs  them 
to  their  proper  end.  And  certainly  the  madness  of  many  in 
this  respect  is  monstrous,  who  dare  to  arraign  the  works  of 
God,  to  scrutinize  his  secret  counsels,  and  even  to  pass  a  pre- 
cipitate sentence  on  things  unknown,  with  greater  freedom, 
than  on  the  actions  of  mortal  men.  For  what  is  more  pre- 
posterous than  towards  our  equals  to  observe  such  modesty, 
as  rather  to  suspend  our  judgment  than  to  incur  the  imputation 
of  temerity;  but  impudently  to  insult  the  mysterious  judgments 

(6)  Psalm  si.  5.  (c)  John  ix.  3. 

VOL.  I.  2  F 


226  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

of  God,    which  \\c  ought  to  hold   in  admiration  and  rever- 
ence. 

II.  None  therefore  will  attain  just  and  profitable  views  of 
the  providence  of  God,  but  he  who  considers  that  he  lias  to  do 
with  his  Maker  and  the  Creator  of  the   world,  and  submit:, 
himself  to  fear   and  reverence   with    all    becoming    humility. 
Hence    it  happens  that  so  many  worthless  characters   in    the 
present  day  virulently  oppose  this  doctrine,  because  they  will 
admit  nothing  to  be  lawful  for  God,  but  what  agrc' . :;  with  the 
dictates  of  their  own  reason.  They  revile  us  with  the  utmost 
possible  impudence,  because,  not  content  with  the  precepts  of 
the  law,  which  comprehend  the  will  of  God,  we  say  that  the 
world    is    governed    also    by    his    secret  counsels:   as  though 
indeed   what    we  assert  were  only  an   invention  of  our  own 
brain,   and  the  Holy  Spirit  did  not  every  where  plainly  an- 
nounce the  same,  and  repeat  it  in   innumerable  forms  of  ex- 
pression.   But   as    they    are    restrained    by    some    degree    of 
shame  from    daring    to   discharge   their  blasphemies   against 
heaven,    in    order    to    indulge    their    extravagance    with    the 
greater  freedom,  they  pretend  that  they  are  contending  with 
us.  But  unless  they  admit,  that  whatever  comes  to  pass  in  the 
world  is  governed  by  the   incomprehensible    counsel  of  God, 
let  them   answer,  to  what  purpose  is  it  said  in  the  Scripture 
that  his   "judgments  are  a  great  deep?"  (*/)  For  since  Moses 
proclaims,  that  the  will  of  God  is  not  to  be  sought  far  off,  in 
the  clouds  or  in  the  deep,(e)  because  it  is  familiarly  explained 
in  the  law,  it  follows  that  there  is  another  secret  will,  which  is 
compared  to  a  profound  abyss:   concerning  Avhich   Paul 
says,   "O  the   depth   of  the  riches  both  of  the   wisdom  and 
knowledge  of  God;  how  unsearchable  are  his  judgments,  and 
his  ways  past  finding  out!  For  who  hath  known  the  mind  of 
the  Lord,  or  who  hath  been  his  counsellor?"  (f^)  It  is  true,  that 
the  law  and  the  Gospel  contain  mysteries  which  far  transcend 
our  capacities;  but    .since    God  illuminates  the  minds  of  his 
people  with  the   spirit  of  understanding,   to  apprehend  these 
mysteries  which  he  hath  condescended  to  reveal  in  his  word, 
there  we  have  now  no  abyss,  but  a  way  in  which  we  may  safely 

(</)  Ps:ilrn  xxxvi.  6.  <e)  Dcut.  xxx.  12—14.  Rom.  x.  6,  7 

(f)  Rom.  xi.  33,  34. 


CHAP,  xvn.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  227 

walk,  and  a  lamp  for  the  direction  of  our  feet,  the  light  of  life, 
and  the  school  of  certain  and  evident  truth.  But  his  admirable 
method  of  governing  the  world  is  justly  called  a  "  great  deep," 
because,  while  it  is  concealed  from  our  view,  it  ought  to  be 
the  object  of  our  profound  adoration.  Moses  has  beautifully 
expressed  both  in  few  words:  "  The  secret  things,"  says  he, 
"  belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God:  but  those  things  which  are 
revealed  belong  unto  us  and  to  our  children. "(«?")  WG  see  how 
he  enjoins  us,  not  only  to  devote  our  attention  to  meditations 
on  the  law  of  God,  but  to  look  up  with  reverence  to  his 
mysterious  providence.  This  sublime  doctrine  is  declared  in 
the  book  of  Job,  for  the  purpose  of  humbling  our  minds.  For 
the  author  concludes  a  general  view  of  the  machine  of  the 
world,  and  a  magnificent  dissertation  on  the  works  of  God,  in 
these  words:  "  Lo,  these  are  parts  of  his  ways:  but  how 
little  a  portion  is  heard  of  him!"  (A)  For  which  reason,  in 
another  place  he  distinguishes  between  the  wisdom,  which 
resides  in  God,  and  the  method  of  attaining  wisdom  which 
he  hath  prescribed  to  men.  For  after  discoursing  concerning 
the  secrets  of  nature,  he  says  that  wisdom  is  known  only  to 
God,  and  "  is  hid  from  the  eyes  of  all  living."  But  a  little 
after  he  subjoins,  that  it  is  published  in  order  to  be  investi- 
gated; because  it  is  said  to  men,  "  Behold  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,  that  is  wisdom."(z)  To  the  same  purpose  is  this  observa- 
tion of  Augustine:  "  Because  we  know  not  all  that  God  does 
concerning  us  by  an  excellent  order,  we  act  according  to  the 
law  in  a  good  will  only,  but  in  other  respects  are  actuated  accord- 
ing to  it:  because  his  providence  is  an  immutable  law."  There- 
fore, since  God  claims  a  power  unknown  to  us  of  governing 
the  world,  let  this  be  to  us  the  law  of  sobriety  and  modesty,  to 
acquiesce  in  his  supreme  dominion,  to  account  his  will  the 
only  rule  of  righteousness,  and  most  righteous  cause  of  all 
things.  Not  indeed  that  absolute  will  which  is  the  subject  of 
the  declamation  of  sophists,  impiously  and  profanely  separating 
his  justice  from  his  power:  but  that  providence  which  governs 
all  things,  from  which  originates  nothing  but  what  is  right, 
although  the  reasons  of  it  may  be  concealed  from  us. 

( £)  Deut.  xxix.  29.  (A)  Job  xxvi.  14.  '  •>!>  xxviii.  21.  °« 


.028  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i 

III.   Those   who    have  learned  this  modesty,  will  neither 
murmur  against  God  on  account  of  past  adversities,  nor  charge 
him  with  the  guilt  of  their  crimes,  like  Agamemnon,  in  Homer, 
who  says,  "The  blame  belongs  not  to  me,  but  to  Jupiter  and 
Fate."   Nor  will  they,  as  if  hurried  away  by  the  Fates,  under 
the  influence  of  despair,  put  an  end  to  their  own  lives,  like  the 
young  man  whom  Plautus  introduces  as  saying,   u  The  con- 
dition of  our  affairs  is  inconstant,  men  are  governed  by  the 
caprice  of  the  Fates;  I  will  betake  myself  to  a  precipice,  and 
there  destroy  my  life  and  every  thing  at  once."  Nor  will  they 
excuse  their  flagitious  actions  by  ascribing  them  to  God,  after 
the  example  of   another  young  man  introduced  by  the  same 
poet,  who  says,    "  God  was  the  cause:   I   believe   it  was   the 
Divine  will.  For  had  it  not  been  so,  I   know  it    would    not 
have   happened."    But  they  will  rather  search  the  Scripture, 
to  learn  what  is  pleasing  to  God,  that  by  the  guidance  of  the 
Spirit  they  may  strive  to  attain  it;  and  at  the  same  time  being 
prepared  to  follow  God  whithersoever  he  calls  them,  they  will 
exhibit    proofs  in  their  conduct  that  nothing  is  more   useful 
than  a  knowledge  of  this   doctrine.   Some  profane  men  fool- 
ishly raise  such  a  tumult  with   their   absurdities,  as  almost, 
according  to  a  common  expression,  to  confound  heaven  and 
earth    together.    They  argue   in  this    manner:    If     God    has 
fixed  the  moment  of  our  death,  we  citnnot  avoid  it;  therefore 
all  caution  against  it  will  be  but  lost  labour.   One  man  dares 
not  venture  himself  in  a  way  which  he  hears  is  dangerous,  lest 
he  should  be  assassinated  by  robbers;  another  sends  for  phy- 
sicians, and  wearies  himself  with  medicines,  to    preserve  his 
life;   another  abstains  from  the  grossftr  kinds  of  food,  lest  he 
should    injure    his    valetudinary  constitution;   another  dreads 
to  inhabit  a  ruinous  house;  and  men  in  general  exert  all  their 
faculties   in  devising  and  executing  methods  by   which   they 
may  attain  the  object  of  their  desires.  Now  either  all  these 
things  are  vain  remedies  employed  to  correct  the  will  of  God, 
or   life  and   death,  health   and    disease,  peace  and  war,  and 
other  things  which  according  to  their  desires  or  aversions  men 
industriously  study  to  obtain  or  to  avoid,  are  not  determined 
by  his    certain    decree.    Moreover    they   conclude,    that   the 
of  the  faithful  are  not  only  superfluous,  but  perverse, 


CHAP,  xvii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  -229 

which  contain  petitions  that  the  Lord  will  provide  for  those 
things  which  he  hath  already  decreed  from  eternity.  In  short, 
they  supersede  all  deliberations  respecting  futurity,  as  opposed 
to  the  providence  of  God,  who,  without  consulting  men,  hath 
decreed  whatever  he  pleased.  And  what  has  already  happened 
they  impute  to  the  Divine  providence  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
overlook  the  person,  who  is  known  to  have  committed  any  par- 
ticular act.  Has  an  assassin  murdered  a  worthy  citizen?  they 
say  he  has  executed  the  counsel  of  God.  Has  any  one  been 
guilty  of  theft  or  fornication?  because  he  has  done  what  was 
foreseen  and  ordained  by  the  Lord,  he  is  the  minister  of  his 
providence.  Has  a  son,  neglecting  all  remedies,  carelessly 
waited  the  death  of  his  father?  it  was  impossible  for  him  to 
resist  God,  who  had  decreed  this  event  from  eternity.  Thus 
by  these  persons  all  crimes  are  denominated  virtues,  because 
they  are  subservient  to  the  ordination  of  God. 

IV.  But  in  reference  to  future  things,  Solomon  easily  recon- 
ciles the  deliberations  of  men  with  the  providence  of  God. 
For  as  he  ridicules  the  folly  of  those  who  presumptuously 
undertake  any  thing  without  the  Lord,  as  though  they  were 
not  subject  to  his  government:  so  in  another  place  he  says, 
"  A  man's  heart  deviseth  his  way:  but  the  Lord  directeth 
his  steps;"  (£)  signifying  that  the  eternal  decrees  of  God  form 
no  impediment  to  our  providing  for  ourselves,  and  disposing 
all  our  concerns  in  subservience  to  his  will.  The  reason  of 
this  is  manifest.  For  he  who  Kith  fixed  the  limits  of  our 
life,  hath  also  entrusted  us  with  the  care  of  it;  hath  furnished 
us  with  means  and  supplies  for  its  preservation;  hath  also  made 
us  provident  of  dangers;  and  that  they  may  not  oppress  us 
unawares  hath  furnished  us  with  cautions  and  remedies.  Now 
it  is  evident  what  is  our  duty.  If  God  hath  committed  to  us 
the  preservation  of  our  life,  we  should  preserve  it;  if  he  offers 
supplies,  we  should  use  them;  if  he  forewarns  us  of  dangers, 
we  should  not  rashly  run  into  them;  if  he  furnishes  remedies, 
we  ought  not  to  neglect  them.  But  it  will  be  objected,  no 
danger  can  hurt,  unless  it  has  been  ordained  that  it  shall  hurt 
us,  and  then  no  remedies  can  avert  it.  But  what  if  dangers 

(*)  Prov.  xvi.  9. 


230  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i 

are  therefore  not  fatal  because  God  hath  assigned  you  rcm< 
to  repulse  and  overcome  them?  Examine  whether  your 
soning  agrees  with  the  order  of  the  Divine  providence.  You 
conclude  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  guard  against  danger,  be- 
cause if  it  be  not  fatal,  we  shall  escape  it  without  caution:  but 
on  the  contrary  the  Lord  enjoins  you  to  use  caution,  because 
he  intends  it  not  to  be  fatal  to  you.  These  madmen  overlook 
what  is  obvious  to  every  observer,  that  the  arts  of  deliberation 
and  caution  in  men  proceed  from  the  inspiration  of  God,  and 
that  they  subserve  the  designs  of  his  providence  in  the  pre- 
servation of  their  own  lives;  as  on  the  contrary  by  neglect 
and  slothfulness,  they  procure  to  themselves  the  evils  which 
he  hath  appointed  for  them.  For  how  does  it  happen,  that  a 
prudent  man  consulting  his  own  welfare,  averts  from  himself 
impending  evils,  and  a  fool  is  ruined  by  his  inconsiderate 
temerity,  unless  folly  and  prudence  are  in  both  cases  instru- 
ments of  the  Divine  dispensation?  Therefore  it  hath  pleased 
God  to  conceal  from  us  all  future  events,  that  we  may  meet 
them  as  doubtful  contingencies,  and  not  cease  to  oppose  to 
them  the  remedies  with  which  we  are  provided,  till  they  shall 
have  been  surmounted,  or  shall  have  overcome  all  our  dili- 
gence. Therefore  I  have  before  suggested,  that  the  providence 
of  God  ought  not  always  to  be  contemplated  abstractedly  by 

,-  -  .          -•  -         '  ^^*"**M^*^"^^™"^*^*^*"^irt^r™*^M>^**^^^^wlL     i  -if 

itself,  but  in  connection  with  the  means  which  he  employs. 

V.  The  same  persons  inconsiderately  and  erroneously  ascribe 
all  past  events  to  the  absolute  providence  of  God.  For  since 
all  things  which  came  to  pass  are  dependent  upon  it,  there- 
fore, say  they,  neither  thefts,  nor  adulteries,  nor  homicides, 
are  perpetrated  without  the  intervention  of  the  Divine  will. 
Why  therefore,  they  ask,  shall  a  thief  be  punished  for  having 
pillaged  him  whom  it  hath  pleased  the  Lord  to  chastise  with 
poverty?  Why  shall  a  homicide  be  punished  for  having  slain 
him  whose  life  the  Lord  had  terminated?  If  all  such  characters 
are  subservient  to  the  Divine  will,  why  shall  they  be  punished? 
But  I  deny  that  they  serve  the  will  of  God.  For  we  cannot 
say,  that  he  who  is  influenced  by  a  wicked  heart,  acts  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  commands  of  God,  while  he  is  only  gratifying  his 
own  malignant  passions.  That  man  obeys  God,  who  being 
Instructed  in  his  will,  hastens  whither  God  calls  him.  Where 


CHAP,  xvii.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  231 

can  we  learn  his  will,  but  in  his  word?  Therefore  in  our 
actions  we  ought  to  regard  the  will  of  God,  which  is  declared 
in  his  word.  God  only  requires  of  us  conformity  to  his  pre- 
cepts. If  we  do  any  thing  contrary  to  them,  it  is  not  obedi- 
ence, but  contumacy  and  transgression.  [But  it  is  said,  if  he. 
would  not  permit  it,  we  should  not  do  it.  This  I  grant.  But 
do  we  perform  evil  actions  with  the  design  of  pleasing  him?  He 
gives  us  no  such  command.  We  precipitate  ourselves  into 
them,  not  considering  what  is  his  will,  but  inflamed  with  the 
violence  of  our  passions,  so  that  we  deliberately  strive  to  oppose 
him.  In  this  manner  even  by  criminal  actions  we  subserve  his 
righteous  ordination;  because  in  the  infinite  greatness  of  his  wis- 
dom, he  well  knows  how  to  use  evil  instruments  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  good  purposes-JNow  observe  the  absurdity  of 
their  reasoning;  they  wish  the  authors  of  crimes  to  escape  with 
impunity,  because  crimes  are  not  perpetrated  but  by  the  ordi- 
nation of  God.  I  admit  more  than  this;  even  that  thieves, 
and  homicides,  and  other  malefactors,  are  instruments  o! 
Divine  providence,  whom  the  Lord  uses  for  the  execution  of 
ihe  judgments  which  he  hath  appointed.  But  I  deny  that  this 
ought  to  afford  any  excuse  for  their  crimes.  For  will  they 
cither  implicate  God  in  the  same  iniquity  with  themselves,  or 
cover  their  depravity  with  his  righteousness?  They  can  do 
neither.  They  are  prevented  from  exculpating  themselves,  by 
the  reproofs  of  their  own  consciences;  and  they  can  lay  no 
blame  upon  God,  for  they  find  in  themselves  nothing  but  evil, 
and  in  him  only  a_  Jegitimate  use  of  their  wickedness.  But  it 
is  alleged  that  he  operates  by  their  means.  And  whence,  I  ask, 
proceeds  the  fetid  smell  of  a  carcase,  which  has  been  putrefied 
and  disclosed  by  the  heat  of  the  sun?  It  is  visible  to  all  that 
it  is  excited  by  the  solar  rays;  yet  no  person  on  this  account 
attributes  to  those  rays  an  offensive  smell.  So  when  the  matter 
and  guilt  of  evil  resides  in  a  bad  man,  why  should  God  be 
supposed  to  contract  any  defilement,  if  he  uses  his  service 
according  to  his  own  pleasure?  Let  us  dismiss  this  petulance 
therefore,  which  may  rail  against  the  justice  of  God  from  a 
distance,  but  can  never  reach  that  Divine  attribute. 

VI.  But  these  cavils,  or  rather  extravagancies  of  frenzy,  will 
easily  be  dispelled   by  the  pious  and   holy  contemplation  of 


232  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  r. 

providence,  which  the  rule  of  piety  dictates  to  us,  so  that  we 
may  derive  from  it  the  greatest  pleasure  and  advantage.  The 
mind  of  a  Christian  therefore,  when  it  is  certainly  persuaded 
that  all  things  happen  by  the  ordination  of  God,  and  that 
there  is  nothing  fortuitously  contingent,  will  always  direct  its 
views  to  him  as  the  supreme  cause  of  all  things,  and  will  also 
consider  inferior  causes  in  their  proper  order.  He  will  not 
doubt  that  the  particular  providence  of  God  is  watchful  for 
his  preservation,  never  permitting  any  event  which  it  will  not 
overrule  for  his  advantage  and  safety.  But  since  he  is  con- 
cerned in  the  first  place  with  men,  and  in  the  next  place  with 
the  other  creatures,  he  will  assure  himself  as  to  both  that  the 
providence  of  God  reigns  over  all.  With  respect  to  men, 
whether  good  or  evil,  he  will  acknowledge  that  their  delibera- 
tions, wills,  endeavours,  and  powers,  are  under  his  control, 
so  that  it  is  at  his  option  to  direct  them  whithersoever  he 
pleases,  and  to  restrain  them  as  often  as  he  pleases.  The 
vigilance  of  the  particular  providence  of  God  for  the  safety  of 
the  faithful  is  attested  by  numerous  and  very  remarkable  pro- 
mises: "  Cast  thy  burden  upon  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  sustain 
thee:  he  shall  never  suffer  the  righteous  to  be  moved.  (/)  He 
that  dwelleth  in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High  shall  abide 
under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty.  (?«)  He  that  toucheth  you, 
toucheth  the  apple  of  his  eye.  We  have  a  strong  city:  sal- 
vation will  God  appoint  for  walls  and  bulwarks,  (w)  Though  a 
woman  forget  her  sucking  child,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee."  (5) 
Moreover  this  is  the  principal  scope  of  the  Biblical  histories,  to 
teach  us  that  the  Lord  so  sedulously  defends  the  ways  of  the 
saints,  that  they  may  not  even  "  dash  their  foot  against  a 
stone."  (/»)  Therefore  as  we  have  a  little  before  justly  exploded 
the  opinion  of  those  who  hold  a  universal  providence  of  God, 
which  descends  not  to  the  care  of  every  creature  in  particular; 
so  it  is  principally  necessary  and  useful  to  contemplate  this 
special  care  towards  ourselves.  For  this  reason,  Christ,  after 
having  asserted  that  not  the  vilest  sparrow  falls  to  the  ground 
without  the  will  of  the  Father,  (y)  immediately  makes  the  fol- 
lowing application;  that  the  more  we  exceed  the  value  of 

(0  Psalm  lv.  22.  1  Peter  v.  7.     (m)  Psalm  xci.  1.        (n)  Zech.  ii.  8. 
.  Isaiah  xxvi.  1.  xlix.  15.        (/>)  Psalm  xci.  12.       (?)  Matt.  x.  29,  30. 


CHAP,  xvn.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  233 

sparrows,  the  greater  care  we  should  consider  God  as  exercis- 
ing over  us:  and  he  carries  this  to  such  an  extent,  that  we  may 
be  confident  that  the  hairs  of  our  head  are  numbered.  What 
more  can  we  desire  for  ourselves,  if  not  a  single  hair  can  fall 
from  our  heads,  but  according  to  his  will?  I  speak  not  exclu- 
sively of  the  human  race;  but  since  God  hath  chosen  the 
Church  for  his  habitation,  there  is  no  doubt  but  he  particularly 
displays  his  paternal  care  in  the  government  of  it. 

VII.  The  servant  of  God,  encouraged  by  these  promises 
and  examples,  will  add  the  testimonies,  which  inform  us  that 
all  men  are  subject  to  his  power,  either  to  conciliate  their 
minds  in  our  favour,  or  to  restrain  their  malice  from  being 
injurious.  For  it  is  the  Lord  who  gives  us  favour,  not  only 
with  our  friends,  but  also  in  the  eyes  of  the  Egyptians;  (o)  a.jJ 
he  knows  how  to  subdue  by  various  methods  the  fury  ot  oar 
enemies.  Sometimes  he  deprives  them  of  understanding,  so 
that  they  can  form  no  sober  or  prudent  plans:  as  he  sent 
Satan  to  fill  the  mouths  of  all  the  prophets  with  falsehood,  in 
order  to  deceive  Ahab:  (/>)  he  infatuated  Rehoboam  by  the  coun- 
sel of  the  young  men,  that  through  his  own  folly  he  might  be 
spoiled  of  his  kingdom,  (y)  Sometimes,  when  he  grants  thorn 
understanding,  he  so  terrifies  and  dispirits  them,  that  they 
can  neither  determine  nor  undertake  what  they  have  conceived. 
Sometimes  also,  when  he  hath  permitted  them  to  att 
what  their  rage  and  passion  prompted,  he  opportunely  bn  _,ks 
their  impetuosity,  not  suffering  them  to  proceed  to  the  accom- 
plishment of  their  designs.  Thus  he  prematurely  defeated 
the  counsel  of  Ahitophel,  which  would  have  been  fatal  to 
David,  (r)  Thus  also  he  takes  care  to  govern  all  creatures  for 
the  benefit  and  safety  of  his  people,  even  the  devil  himself, 
who  we  see  dared  not  to  attempt  any  thing  against  Job,  without 
his  permission  and  command.  (*)  The  necessary  consequences 
of  this  knowledge  are,  gratitude  in  prosperity,  patience  in  ad- 
versity, and  a  wonderful  security  respecting  the  future.  Every 
prosperous  and  pleasing  event,  therefore,  the  pious  man  will 
ascribe  entirely  to  God,  whether  his  beneficence  be  received 
through  the  ministry  of  men,  or  by  the  assistance  of  inanimate 

(o)  Exod.  iii.  21.        (/>)  1  Kings  xxil  22.        (?)  1  Kings  xii.  10—15. 
(r)  2-  Sam.  xvii.  7.  U  M  Job  i.  12. 

V0f .  I.  5>  G 


234  INSTITUTES  OF  THK  [BOOK  i. 

creatures.  For  this  will  be  the  reflection  of  his  mind:  "  It  is 
certainly  the  Lord  that  hath  inclined  their  hearts  to  favour 
me,  that  hath  united  them  to  me  to  be  the  instruments  of  his 
benignity  towards  me."  In  an  abundance  of  the  fruits  of  the 
earth,  he  will  consider,  that  it  is  the  Lord  who  regards  the 
heaven,  that  the  heaven  may  regard  the  earth,  that  the  earth 
also  may  regard  its  own  productions:  in  other  things  he  will 
not  doubt  that  it  is  the  Divine  benediction  alone  which  is  the 
cause  of  all  prosperity;  nor  will  he  bear  to  be  ungrateful  after 
so  many  admonitions. 

VIII.  If  any  adversity  befal  him,  in  this  case  also  he  will 
immediately  lift  up  his  heart  to  God,  whose  hand  is  most 
capable  of  impressing  us  with  patience  and  placid  moderation 
of  mind.  If  Joseph  had  dwelt  on  a  review  of  the  perfidy  of 
his  brethren,  he  never  could  have  recovered  his  fraternal 
affection  for  them.  But  as  he  turned  his  mind  to  the  Lord, 
he  forgot  their  injuries,  and  was  so  inclined  to  mildness  and 
clemency,  as  even  voluntarily  to  administer  consolation  to 
them,  saying,  "  It  was  not  you  that  sent  me  hither,  but  God 
did  send  me  before  you  to  save  your  lives.  Ye  thought  evil 
against  me;  but  God  meant  it  unto  good."  (?)  If  Job  had 
regarded  the  Chaldeans,  by  whom  he  was  molested,  he  had  been 
inflamed  to  revenge;  but  recognising  the  event  at  the  same  time 
as  the  work  of  the  Lord,  he  consoled  himself  with  this  very 
beautiful  observation:  "The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath 
taken  away;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord."  (u)  Thus 
David,  when  assailed  by  Sliimei  with  reproachful  language 
and  with  stones,  if  he  had  confined  his  views  to  man,  would 
have  animated  his  soldiers  to  retaliate  the  injury:  but  under- 
standing that  it  was  not  done  without  the  instigation  of  the 
Lord,  he  rather  appeases  them:  "  Let  him  curse,"  says  he, 
"  because  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  him,  Curse  David."  (tt>)  In 
another  place  he  imposes  the  same  restraint  on  the  intemper- 
ance of  his  grief:  "  I  was  dumb,"  says  he,  "  I  opened  not 
my  mouth;  because  thou  didst  it."  (.Y)  If  there  be  no  more 
efficacious  remedy  for  anger  and  impatience,  surely  that  man 
lias  made  no  small  proficiency,  who  has  learned  in  this  case. 

(0  Gen.  xlv.  7,  8.  I.  20.  (r)  Job  i.  21. 

(w)  2  Sam.  xvi.  19.  (x)  Psalm  xxxix.  9. 


CHAP,  xvii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  2*35 

«»  meditate  on  the  Divine  providence,  that  he  may  be  able  at 
all  times  to  recal  his  mind  to  this  consideration:  "  It  is  the  will 
of  the  Lord,  therefore  it  must  be  endured;  not  only  because 
resistance  is  unlawful  and  vain,  but  because  he  wills  nothing 
but  what  is  both  just  and  expedient."  The  conclusion  of  the 
whole  is  this,  that  when  we  suffer  injuries  from  tnen,  forgetting 
their  malice,  which  would  only  exasperate  our  grief  and  insti- 
gate our  minds  to  revenge,  we  should  remember  to  ascend  to 
God,  and  learn  to  account  it  a  certain  truth,  that  whatever 
our  enemies  have  criminally  committed  against  us,  has  been 
permitted  and  directed  by  his  righteous  dispensation.  To  re- 
strain us  from  retaliating  injuries,  Paul  prudently  admonishes 
us  that  our  contention  is  not  with  flesh  and  blood,  but  with  a 
spiritual  enemy  the  devil,  (y)  in  order  that  we  may  prepare  our- 
selves for  the  contest.  But  this  admonition  is  the  most  useful 
in  appeasing  all  the  sallies  of  resentment,  that  God  arms  for 
the  conflict  both  the  devil  and  all  wicked  men,  and  sits  him- 
self as  the  arbiter  of  the  combat,  to  exercise  our  patience. 
But  if  the  calamities  and  miseries  which  oppress  us  happen 
without  the  interposition  of  men,  let  us  recollect  the  doctrine 
of  the,  law,  that  every  prosperous  event  proceeds  from  the 
benediction  of  God,  but  that  all  adverse  ones  are  his  maledic- 
tions: (2)  and  let  us  tremble  at  that  awful  denunciation:  "  If 
ye  will  walk  contrary  unto  me,  then  will  I  also  walk  contraiy 
unto  you:"  (a)  language  which  reproves  our  stupidity,  while 
according  to  the  common  apprehensions  of  the  flesh,  esteeming 
every  event,  both  prosperous  and  adverse,  to  be  fortuitous,  we 
are  neither  animated  to  the  worship  of  God  by  his  benefits,  nor 
stimulated  to  repentance  by  his  corrections.  This  is  the  rea- 
son of  the  sharp  expostulations  of  Jeremiah  and  of  Amos,  (b) 
because  the  Jews  supposed  that  both  good  and  evil  events 
came  to  pass  without  any  appointment  of  God.  To  the  same 
purpose  is  this  passage  of  Isaiah:  "  I  form  the  light,  and 
create  darkness:  I  make  peace,  and  create  evil:  I  the  Lord  do 
all  these  things."  (c) 

IX.  Yet  at  the  same  time  a  pious  man  will  not  overlook 
inferior  causes.  Nor  because  he  accounts  those  from  whom  he 

(jK)Eph.  vi.  12.          (2)  Deut.  xxviii.  1,  Sic.        (a)  Lev.  xxvi.  23,  24. 
am.  iii.  37,  38.     Amos  lit.  6.  (c)  Isaiah  xlv.  7. 


236  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

has  received  any  benefit,  the  ministers  of  the  Divine  goodness, 
will  he  therefore  pass  them  by  unnoticed>  as  though  they  de- 
served no  thanks  for  their  kindness;  but  will  feel,  and  readily 
acknowledge  his  obligation  to  them,  and  gtudy  to  return  it  as 
ability  and  opportunity  may  permit.  Finally,  he  will  reverence 
and  praise  God  as  the  principal  author  of  benefits  received, 
but  will  honour  men  as  his  ministers;  and  will  understand, 
what  indeed  is  the  fact,  that  the  will  of  God  has  laid  him 
under  obligations  to  those  persons  by  whose  means  the  Lord 
hath  been  pleased  to  communicate  his  benefits.  If  he  suffer 
any  loss  either  through  negligence  or  through  imprudence,  he 
will  conclude  that  it  happened  according  to  the  Divine  will, 
but  will  also  impute  the  blame  of  it  to  himself.  If  any  one  be 
removed  by  disease,  whom  while  it  was  his  duty  to  take  care 
of  him,  he  has  treated  with  neglect;  though  he  cannot  be 
ignorant  that  that  person  had  reached  those  limits  which  it 
was  impossible  for  him  to  pass,  yet  he  will  not  make  this  a 
plea  to  extenuate  his  guilt;  but  because  he  has  not  faithfully 
performed  his  duty  towards  him,  will  consider  him  as  having 
perished  through  his  criminal  negligence.  Much  less  when 
fraud  and  preconceived  malice  appear  in  the  perpetration 
either  of  murder  or  of  theft,  will  he  excuse  those  enormities 
under  the  pretext  of  the  Divine  providence:  in  the  same  crime 
he  will  distinctly  contemplate  the  righteousness  of  God  and 
the  iniquity  of  man,  as  they  respectively  discover  themselves. 
But  it  is  principally  in  regard  to  things  future  that  he  will  direct 
his  attention  to  inferior  causes  of  this  kind.  For  he  will  rank 
it  among  the  blessings  of  the  Lord,  not  to  be  destitute  of 
human  aids  which  he  may  use  for  his  own  safety;  he  will 
neither  be  remiss  therefore  in  taking  the  advice,  nor  negligent 
in  imploring  the  help,  of  those  whom  he  perceives  to  be  capa- 
ble of  affording  him  assistance;  but  considering  all  the  crea- 
tures, that  can  in  any  respect  be  serviceable  to  him,  as  so  many- 
gifts  from  the  Lord,  he  will  use  them  as  the  legitimate  instru- 
ments of  the  Divine  providence.  And  as  he  is  uncertain 
respecting  the  issue  of  his  undertakings,  except  that  he 
knows  that  the  Lord  will  in  all  things  provide  for  his  good,  he 
studiously  aims  at  what,  according  to  the  best  judgment  he 
can  form,  will  be  for  his  advantage.  Nor,  in  conducting  his 


CHAP,  xvii.]     CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  237 

deliberations  will  he  be  carried  away  by  his  own  opinion,  but 
will  recommend  and  resign  himself  to  the  wisdom  of  God,  that 
he  may  be  directed  by  its  guidance  to  the  right  end,  But  he 
will  not  place  his  confidence  in  external  helps  to  such  a  degree 
as,  if  possessed  of  them,  securely  to  rely  on  them,  or  if  destitute 
of  them,  to  tremble  with  despair.  For  his  mind  will  always 
be  fixed  solely  on  the  Divine  providence,  nor  will  he  suffer 
himself  to  be  seduced  from  a  steady  contemplation  of  it,  by 
any  consideration  of  present  things.  Thus  Joab,  though  he 
acknowledges  the  event  of  battle  to  depend  on  the  will  and 
the  power  of  God,  yet  surrenders  not  himself  to  inactivity, 
but  sedulously  executes  all  the  duties  of  his  office,  and  leaves 
the  event  to  the  Divine  decision.  "  Let  us  play  the  men," 
says  he,  "  for  our  people,  and  for  the  cities  of  our  God:  and 
the  Lord  do  that  which  seemeth  him  good."  (</)  This  know- 
ledge will  divest  us  of  temerity  and  false  confidence,  and  excite 
us  to  continual  invocations  of  God;  it  will  also  support  our 
minds  with  a  good  hope,  that  without  hesitation  we  may  se- 
curely and  magnanimously  despise  all  the  dangers  which  sur- 
round us. 

X.  Herein  is  discovered  the  inestimable  felicity  of  the  pious 
mind.  Human  life  is  beset  by  innumerable  evils,  and  threat- 
ened with  a  thousand  deaths.  Not  to  go  beyond  ourselves; 
since  our  body  is  the  receptacle  of  a  thousand  diseases,  and 
even -contains  and  fosters  the  causes  of  diseases,  a  man  must 
unavoidably  carry  about  with  him  destruction  in  unnumbered 
forms,  and  protract  a  life  which  is  as  it  were  involved  in  death. 
For  what  else  can  you  say  of  it,  when  neither  cold  nor  heat  in 
any  considerable  degree  can  be  endured  without  danger?  Now 
whithersoever  you  turn,  all  the  objects  around  you  are  not 
only  unworthy  of  your  confidence,  but  almost  openly  menace 
you,  and  seem  to  threaten  immediate  death.  Embark  in  a  ship; 
there  is  but  a  single  step  between  you  and  death.  Mount  a 
horse;  the  slipping  of  one  foot  endangers  your  life.  Walk 
through  the  streets  of  a  city;  you  are  liable  to  as  many  dangers 
as  there  are  tiles  on  the  roofs.  If  there  be  a  sharp  weapon  in 
your  hand,  or  that  of  your  friend,  the  mischief  is  manifest.  All 

(d)  2  Sam.  s.  12. 


238  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i* 

the  ferocious  animals  you  see  are  armed  for  your  destruction. 
If  you  endeavour  to  shut  yourself  in  a  garden  surrounded  with 
a  good  fence,  and  exhibiting  nothing  but  what  is  delightful, 
even  there  sometimes  lurks  a  serpent.  Your  house  perpetually 
liable  to  fire,  menaces  yo\i  by  day  with  poverty,  and  by  night 
with  falling  on  your  head.  Your  land,  exposed  to  hail,  frost, 
drdught,  and  various  tempests,  threatens  you  with  sterility,  and 
with  its  attendant,  famine.  I  omit  poison,  treachery,  robbery, 
and  open  violence,  which  partly  beset  us  at  home,  and  partly 
pursue  us  abroald.  Amidst  these  difficulties,  must  not  man  be 
most  miserable,  who  is  half  dead  while  he  lives,  and  is  dispirited 
and  alarmed  as  though  he  had  a  sword  perpetually  applied  to 
his  neck?  You  will  say  that  these  things  happen  seldom,  or 
certainly  not  always,  nor  to  every  man,  but  never  all  at  once. 
I  grant  it:  but  as  we  are  admonished  by  the  examples  of  others, 
that  it  is  possible  for  them  to  happen  also  to  us,  and  that  we 
have  no  more  claim  to  exemption  from  them  than  others,  we 
must  unavoidably  dread  them  as  events  that  we  may  expect. 
What  can  you  imagine  more  calamitous  than  such  a  dread,? 
Besides  it  is  an  insult  to  God  to  say  that  he  hath  exposed 
man,  the  noblest  of  his  creatures,  to  the  blindness  and  temerity 
of  fortune.  But  here  I  intend  to  speak  only  of  the  misery 
which  man  must  feel,  if  he  be  subject  to  the  dominion  of 
fortune. 

XI.  On  the  contrary,  when  this  light  of  Divine  providence  has 
once  shined  on  a  pious  man,  he  is  relieved  and  delivered  not 
only  from  the  extreme  anxiety  and  dread  with  which  he  was 
previously  oppressed,  but  also  from  all  care.  For  as  he  justly 
dreads  fortune,  so  he  ventures  securely  to  commit  himself  to 
God.  This,  I  Say,  is  his  consolation,  to  apprehend  that  his 
heavenly  Father  restrains  all  things  by  his  power,  governs  all 
things  by  his  will,  and  regulates  all  things  by  his  wisdom,  in 
such  a  manner,  that  nothing  can  happen  but  by  his  appoint- 
ment: moreover,  that  God  has  taken  him  under  his  protection, 
and  committed  him  to  the  care  of  angels,  so  that  he  can  sustain 
no  injury  from  water,  or  fire,  or  sword,  any  farther  than  the 
Divine  Governor  may  be  pleased  to  permit.  For  thus  sings 
the  Psalmist;  "  Surely  he  shall  deliver  thee  from  the  snare 
of  the  fowler,  and  from  the  noisome  pestilence,  tie  shall 


<SHAP.  xvii.]     CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  239 

cover  thee  with  his  feathers,  and.  under  his  wings  shalt  thou 
trust:  his  truth  shall  be  thy  shield  and  buckler.  Thou  shalt 
not  be  afraid  for  the  terror  by  night;  nor  for  the  arrow  that 
flieth  by  day;  nor  for  the  pestilence  that  walketh  in  darkness; 
nor  for  the  destruction  that  wasteth  at  noqn  day."  (e)  Hence 
also  proceeds  that  confidence  of  glorying  in  the  saints;  "  The 
Lord  is  on  my  side;  I  will  not  fear  what  man  can  do  unto 
me.  The  Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life;  of  whom  shall  I  h£ 
afraid?  Though  an  host  should  encamp  against  me— though  I 
walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no 
evil."  (y)  HoAtr  is  it  that  their  security  remains  unshaken, 
while  the  world  appears  to  be  revolving  at  random,  but  because 
they  know  that  the  Lord  is  universally  operative,  and  confide 
in  his  operations  as  beneficial  to  them?  Now  when  their  safety- 
is  attacked,  either  by  the  devil  or  by  wicked  men,  if  they  were 
not  supported  by  the  recollection  and  contemplation  of  provi- 
dence, they  must  necessarily  and  immediately  faint.  But  when 
they  recollect,  that  the  devil  and  the  whole  army  of  the  wicked 
are  in  every  respect  so  restrained  by  the  Divine  power,  that 
they  can  neither  conceive  of  any  hosiility  against  us,  nor  after 
having  conceived  it,  form  a  plan  for  its  accomplishment,  nor 
even  move  a  finger  towards  the  execution  of  such  plan,  any- 
farther  than  he  hath  permitted,  and  even  commanded  them; 
and  that  they  are  not  only  bound  by  his  chains,  but  also  com- 
pelled to  do  him  service;  they  have  an  abundant  source  of 
consolation.  For  as  it  belongs  to  the  Lord  to  arm  their 
fury,  and  to  direct  it  to  whatever  object*  he  pleases;  so  it 
also  belongs  to  him  to  fix  its  limits,  that  they  may  not  enjoy 
an  unbounded  triumph  according  to  their  own  wills.  Esta- 
blished in  this  persuasion,  Paul  determined  his  journey  in  one 
place  by  the  permission  of  God,  which  in  another  he  had  de- 
clared wae  prevented  by  Satan.  (^)  If  he  had  only  said  that 
Satan  was  the  obstacle,  he  would  have  appeared  to  attribute 
too  much  power  to  him,  as  though  he  were  able  to  subvert  the 
purposes  of  God;  but  when  he  states  God  to  be  the  arbiter, 
on  whose  permission  all  journeys  depend,  he  at  the  same 
time  shews,  that  Sataji,  wkh  all__his  machinations,  can  effect 

(e)  Psalm  xci.  3—6.  (/)  Psalm  cxvlil.  6.  xsvii.  1,  3.  xxiii.  4. 

{$)  I  Cor.  xvi.  7.     1  Thess.  ii.  18., 


240  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  I. 

nothing  but  by  his  permission.  For  the  same  reason,  David,  on 
account  of  the  various  and  constant  vicissitudes  of  life,  betakes 
himself  to  this  asylum;  "  My  times  are  in  thy  hand."  (A)  He 
might  have  mentioned  either  the  course  of  life,  or  time  in  the 
singular  number;  but  by  the  word  times  he  intended  to  express, 
that  however  unstable  the  condition  of  men  may  be,  all  the 
vicissitudes  which  take  place  are  under  the  government  of  God. 
For  which  reason  Rezin  and  the  king  of  Israel,  when,  after 
the  junction  of  their  forces  for  the  destruction  of  Judah,  they 
resembled  firebrands  kindled  to  consume  and  ruin  the  land, 
are  called  by  the  Prophet  "  smoking  firebrands,"  (z)  which  can 
do  nothing  but  emit  a  little  smoke.  Thus  Pharaoh,  when 
his  riches,  his  strength,  and  the  multitude  of  his  forces  ren- 
dered him  formidable  to  all,  is  himself  tompared  to  a  sea- 
monster,  and  his  forces  to  fishes.  (<£)  Therefore  God  denounces 
that  he  will  take  both  the  captain  and  his  army  with  his  hook, 
and  draw  them  whither  he  pleases.  Finally,  to  dwell  no 
longer  on  this  part  of  the  subject,  you  will  easily  perceive,  on 
examination,  that  ignorance  of  providence  is  the  greatest  of 
miseries,  but  that  the  knowledge  of  it  is  attended  with  the 
highest  felicity. 

XII.  On  the  doctrine  of  Divine  providence,  as  far  as  it  may 
conduce  to  the  solid  instruction  and  consolation  of  the  faithful, 
(for  to  satisfy  a  vain  curiosity  is  neither  possible  nor  desirable) 
enough  would  now  have  been  said,  were  it  not  for  a  difficulty 
arising  from  a  few  passages,  which  apparently  imply,  in  opposi- 
tion to  what  has  been  stated,  that  the  counsel  of  God  is  not 
firm  and  stable,  but  liable  to  change  according  to  the  situation 
of  sublunary  affairs.  In  the  first  place,  there  are  several  in- 
stances in  which  repentance  is  attributed  to  God:  as,  that  he- 
repented  of  having  created  man,  (/)  and  of  having  exalted  Saul 
to  the  kingdom;  (m)  and  that  he  will  repent  of  the  evil  which 
he  had  determined  to  inflict  on  his  people,  as  soon  as  he  shall 
,  have  perceived  their  conversion,  (n)  In  the  next  place,  we  read 
of  the  abrogation  of  some  of  his  decrees.  By  Jonah  he  declared 
to  the  Ninevites,  (0)  that  after  the  lapse  of  forty  days,  Nineveh 

(A)  Psalm  AXXI.  1J.  (i)  Isaiah  vii.  4.  (*•)  Ezek.  xxix.  3,  4. 

(/)  Gen.  vi.  6.  (m)  1  Sam.  xv.  11.      /»  Jer.  xviii.  &. 

(o)  Jonah  5ii.  4,  10. 


CHAP,  xvii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  241 

should  be  destroyed:  but  their  penitence  afterwards  obtained 
from  him  a  more  merciful  sentence.  By  the  mouth  of  Isaiah 
he  denounced  death  to  Hezekiah;  (/?)  which  the  prayers  and 
tears  of  that  monarch  moved  him  to  defer,  (y)  Hence  many 
persons  argue,  that  God  hath  not  fixed  the  affairs  of  men  by 
an  eternal  decree;  but  that  every  year,  day,  and  hour,  he  de- 
crees one  thing  or  another,  according  to  the  respective  merits 
of  each  individual,  or  to  his  own  ideas  of  equity  and  justice. 
With  regard  to  repentance,  we  must  not  admit  that  it  can 
happen  to  God,  any  more  than  ignorance,  or  error,  or  impo- 
tence. For  if  no  man  knowingly  and  willingly  lays  himself 
under  the  necessity  of  repentance,  we  cannot  attribute  repent- 
ance to  God,  without  saying  either  that  he  is  ignorant  of  the 
future,  or  that  he  cannot  avoid  it,  or  that  he  precipitately  and 
inconsiderately  adopts  a  resolution,  of  which  he  immediately 
repents.  But  that  is  so  far  from  the  meaning  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  in  the  very  mention  of  repentance,  he  denies  that  it 
can  belong  to  God,  because  "  he  is  not  a  man,  that  he  should 
repent."  (r)  And  it  must  be  remarked,  that  both  these  points 
are  so  connected  in  the  same  chapter,  that  a  comparison  fully 
reconciles  the  apparent  inconsistency.  Where  it  is  said  that 
God  repented  of  having  created  Saul  king,  the  change  declared 
to  have  taken  place  is  figurative.  It  is  almost  immediately 
added,  that  "  The  strength  of  Israel  will  not  lie  nor  repent: 
for  he  is  not  a  man  that  he  should  repent."  (s)  In  which,  with- 
out any  figure,  his  immutability  is  plainly  asserted.  It  is  cer- 
tain, therefore,  that  the  ordination  of  God  in  the  administra- 
tion of  human  affairs,  is  perpetual  and  superior  to  all  repent- 
ance. Aad  to  place  his  constancy  beyond  all  doubt,  even  his 
adversaries  have  been  constrained  to  attest  it.  For  Balaam, 
notwithstanding  his  reluctance,  was  obliged  to  break  out  into 
the  following  exclamation:  "  God  is  not  a  man,  that  he  should 
lie:  neither  the  son  of  man,  that  he  should  repent:  hath  he 
said,  and  shall  he  not  do  it?  or  hath  he  spoken,  and  shall  he 
not  make  it  good?"  (f) 

XIII.  How  then,  it  will  be  inquired,  is  the  term   repentance 
to   be  understood,  when   attributed  to  God?   I    reply,  In  the 

(/»)  Isaiah  xxxviii.  1,  5.        (y)  2  Kings  xx.  1,  5.        (r)  1  Sam.  xv.  29. 
(s)  1  Sam.  xv.  29.  (f)  Numb,  xxiii.  19. 

VOL.  I.  2  H 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

same  manner  as  all  the  other  forms  of  expression,  which 
describe  God  to  us  after  the  manner  of  men.  For  sine* 
infirmity  cannot  reach  his  sublimity,  the  description  of  him 
which  is  given  to  us,  in  order  that  we  may  understand  it,  must 
be  lowered  to  the  level  of  our  capacity.  His  method  of  lowering 
it  is  to  represent  himself  to  us,  not  as  he  is  in  himself,  but 
according  to  our  perception  of  him.  Though  he  is  free  from 
all  perturbation  of  mind,  he  declares  that  he  is  angry  with 
sinners.  (»)  As  therefore  when  we  hear  that  God  is  angry,  we 
ought  not  to  imagine  any  commotion  in  him,  but  rather  to 
consider  this  expression  as  borrowed  from  our  perception,  be- 
cause God  carries  the  appearance  of  one  who  is  very  angry, 
whenever  he  executes  judgment:  so  neither  by  the  term  repent- 
ance ought  we  to  understand  any  thing  but  a  change  of  actions; 
because  men  are  accustomed  to  express  their  dissatisfaction 
with  themselves  by  changing  their  actions.  Since  every  change 
among  men  therefore  is  a  correction  of  that  which  displeases 
them,  and  correction  proceeds  from  repentance;  therefore  the 
term  repentance  is  used  to  signify  that  God  makes  a  change  in 
his  works.  Yet  at  the  same  time,  there  is  no  alteration  in  his 
counsel  or  his  will,  nor  any  change  in  his  affections;  but  how 
sudden  soever  the  variation  may  appear  to  the  eyes  of  men, 
he  perpetually  and  regularly  prosecutes  what  he  hath  foreseen, 
approved,  and  decreed  from  eternity. 

XIV.  Nor  does  the  Sacred  History,  when  it  records  the 
remission  of  the  destruction  which  had  just  been  denounced 
against  the  Ninevites,  and  the  prolongation  of  the  life  of 
Hezekiah  after  he  had  been  threatened  with  death,  prove  that 
there  was  any  abrogation  of  the  Divine  decrees.  Persons 
who  thus  understand  it,  are  deceived  in  their  ideas  of  the 
threatenings:  which,  though  expressed  in  the  form  of  simple 
declarations,  yet,  as  the  event  shews,  contain  in  them  a  tacit 
condition.  For  why  did  God  send  Jonah  to  the  Ninevites,  to 
predict  the  ruin  of  their  city?  Why  did  he,  by  the  mouth  of 
Isaiah,  warn  Hezekiah  of  death?  He  could  have  destroyed 
both  them  and  him,  without  previously  announcing  their  end. 
He  had  some  other  object  in  view  therefore,  than  to  forewarn 

(«)  Psalm  vii.  11. 


CHAP,  xvii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  243 

them  of  their  death  and  to  give  them  a  distant  prospect  of  its 
approach.  And  that  was  not  to  destroy  them,  but  to  reform 
them,  that  they  might  not  be  destroyed.  Therefore  the  pre- 
diction of  Jonah,  that  after  forty  days  Nineveh  should  fall,  was 
uttered  to  prevent  its  fall.  Hezekiah  was  deprived  of  the  hope 
of  a  longer  life,  in  order  that  he  might  obtain  a  prolongation 
of  it  in  answer  to  his  prayers.  Now  who  does  not  see,  that  the 
Lord  by  such  denunciations  as  these  intended  to  arouse  to 
repentance  the  persons  whom  he  thus  alarmed,  that  they  might 
escape  the  judgment  which  their  sins  had  deserved?  If  this 
be  admitted,  the  nature  of  the  circumstances  leads  to  the  con- 
clusion, that  we  must  understand  a  tacit  condition  implied  in 
the  simple  denunciation.  This  is  also  confirmed  by  similar 
examples.  The  Lord,  reprehending  king  Abimelech  -'for 
having  deprived  Abraham  of  his  wife,  uses  these  words;  "  Be- 
hold, thou  art  but  a  dead  man,  for  the  woman  which  thou 
hast  taken;  for  she  is  a  man's  wife."  But  after  Abimelech  has 
excused  himself,  the  Lord  speaks  in  this  manner:  "  Restore  the 
man  his  wife;  for  he  is  a  prophet,  and  he  shall  pray  for  thee, 
and  thcu  shalt  live:  and  if  thou  restore  her  not,  know  thou  that 
thou  shalt  surely  die,  thou,  and  all  that  are  thine."  (w)  You 
see,  how  by  the  first  declaration  God  terrifies  his  mind,  to 
dispose  him  to  make  satisfaction;  but  in  the  next,  he  makes 
an  explicit  declaration  of  his  will.  Since  other  passages  are  to 
be  explained  in  a  similar  manner,  you  must  not  infer  that  there 
is  any  abrogation  of  a  prior  purpose  of  the  Lord,  because  he 
may  have  annulled  some  former  declarations.  For  God  rather 
prepares  the  way  for  his1  eternal  ordination,  when  by  a  denun- 
ciation of  punishment  he  calls  to  repentance  those  whom  he 
designs  to  spare,  than  makes  any  variation  in  his  will,  or  even 
in  his  declarations,  except  that  he  does  not  syllabically  express, 
what  nevertheless  is  easily  understood.  For  that  assertion  of 
Isaiah  must  remain  true;  "  The  Lord  of  hosts  hath  purposed, 
and  who  shall  disannul  it?  and  his  hand  is  stretched  out,  and 
who  shall  turn  it  back."  (#) 

O)  Gen.  xx.  3,  7.  (*)  Isaiah  xiv.  27 


244  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

God  uses  the  Agency  of  the  Impious,  and  inclines  their  Minds 
to  execute  his  Judgments,  yet  without  the  least  Stain  of  his 
perfect  Purity. 

A.  QUESTION  of  greater  difficulty  arises    from  other  pas- 
sages, where  God  is  said  to  incline  or  draw,  according  to  his 
own  pleasure,  Satan  himself   and  all  the  reprobate.   For  the 
carnal    understanding  scarcely  comprehends   how    he,    acting 
by  their  means,  can  contract  no  defilement  from  their  crimi- 
nality, and  even  in  operations  common  to  himself  and  them  be 
free  from  every  fault,  and  yet  righteously  condemn  those  whose 
ministry  he  uses.  Hence  was  invented  the  distinction  between 
doing-  and  permitting;  because  to  many  persons  this  has  ap- 
peared an  inexplicable  difficulty,  that  Satan  and  all  the  impious 
are  subject  to  the  power  and  government  of  God,  so  that  he 
directs  their  malice  to  whatever  end  he  pleases,  and  uses  their 
crimes  for  the  execution  of  his  judgments.  The  modesty  of 
those  who  are  alarmed  at  the  appearance  of  absurdity,  might 
perhaps  be  excusable,  if  they  did  not  attempt  to  vindicate  the 
Divine  justice  from  all  accusation  by  a  pretence  utterly  desti- 
tute of   any  foundation    in    truth.  They  consider   it    absurd, 
that  a  man  should  be  blinded    by  the  will  and  command  of 
God,  and   afterwards    be  punished    for    his    blindness.   They 
therefore  endeavour  to  evade  the    difficulty,  by  alleging  that 
it    happens   only  by   the   permission,   and    not  by  the   will  of 
God;  but  God  himself,  by  the  most  unequivocal  declarations, 
rejects  this  subterfuge.  That  men  however  can  effect  nothing 
but  by  the  secret  will  of  God,  and  can  deliberate  on  nothing 
but  what  he  hath  previously  decreed  and  determines  by  his 
secret  direction,  is  proved  by  express  and  innumerable  testi- 
monies.    What    we    have    before    cited    from    the    Psalmist, 
that  "  God  hath  done  whatsoever  he  hath  pleased,"  (?/)  un- 
doubtedly pertains  to  all  the  actions  of  men.   If  God  be  the 
certain  arbiter  of  war  and  peace,  as  is  thire  affirmed,  and  that 

(j)  Psalm  cxv.  3. 


CHAP,  xviii.]     CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  •  245 

without  any  exception,  who  will  venture  to  assert,  that  he  re- 
mains ignorant  and  unconcerned  respecting  men,  while  they 
are  actuated  by  the  blind  influence  of  chance?  But  this  subject 
will  be  better  elucidated  by  particular  examples.  From  the 
first  chapter  of  Job  we  know,  that  Satan  presents  himself  before 
God  to  receive  his  commands,  as  well  as  the  angels  who  yield 
a  spontaneous  obedience.  It  is  indeed  in  a  different  manner, 
and  for  a  different  end;  yet  he  cannot  attempt  any  thing  but  by 
the  Divine-  will.  Although  he  seems  to  obtain  only  a  bare  per- 
mission to  afflict  that  holy  man;  yet  since  this  sentence  is  true, 
"  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away,"  (z)  we  con- 
clude that  God  was  the  author  of  that  trial,  of  which  Satan  and 
mischievous  robbers  and  assassins  were  the  immediate  agents. 
Satan  endeavours  to  drive  him  by  desperation  into  madness. 
The  Sabeans  in  a  predatory  incursion  cruelly  and  wickedly 
s£ize  upon  property  not  their  own.  Job  acknowledges  that  he 
was  stripped  of  all  his  wealth  and  reduced  to  poverty,  because 
such  was  the  will  of  God.  Therefore  whatever  is  attempted  by 
men,  or  by  Satan  himself,  God  still  holds  the  helm  to  direct  all 
their  attempts  to  the  execution  of  his  judgments.  God  intends 
the  deception  of  that  perfidious  king,  Ahab;  the  devil  offers  his 
service  for  that  purpose;  he  is  sent  with  a  positive  commission 
to  be  a  lying  spirit  in  the  mouth  of  all  the  prophets,  (a)  If 
the  blinding  and  infatuation  of  Ahab  be  a  divine  judgment, 
the  pretence  of  bare  permission  disappears.  For  it  would  be 

i  ••••••••••••••MMlMMBMMHMMMklMBMBMMki^t 

ridiculous  for  a  judge  merely  to  permit,  without  decreeing 
what  should  be  done,  and  commanding  his  officers  to  exe- 
cute it.  The  Jews  designed  to  destroy  Christ;  Pilate  and 
his  soldiers  complied  with  their  outrageous  violence;  yet  the 
disciples  in  a  solemn  prayer  confess  that  all  the  impious  did 
nothing  but  what  "  the  hand  and  the  counsel  of  God  deter- 
mined before  to  be  done;"  (6)  agreeably  to  what  Peter  had 
already  preached,  that  he  was  "  delivered  by  the  determinate 
counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God,"  that  he  might  be  "cru- 
cified and  slain."  (c)  As  though  he  had  said  that  God,  who  saw 
every  thing  from  the  beginning,  with  a  clear  knowledge  and 
determined  will,  appointed  what  the  Jews  executed;  as  he  meiv- 

(2)  Job  i.  21.  (<j)  1  Kings  xxii.  20—33. 

(f>)  Acts  iv.  28.  (c)  Acts  ii.  23. 


24(i  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

tions  in  another  place,  "  Those  things,  which  God  before  had 
shewed  by  the  mouth  of  all  his  prophets,  that  Christ  should 
suffer,  he  hath  so  fulfilled."  (r)  Absalom,  defiling  his  father's 
bed  with  incest,  perpetrated  a  detestable  crime:  yet  God  pro- 
nounces that  this  was  his  work:  for  his  words  are,  "Thou 
didst  it  secretly:  but  I  will  do  this  thing  before  all  Israel,  and 
before  the  sun."  (</)  Whatever  cruelty  the  Chaldeans  exercised 
in  Judea,  Jeremiah  pronounces  to  be  the  work  of  God.  (e)  For 
which  reason  Nebuchadnezzar  is  called  the  servant  of  God. 
God  frequently  proclaims,  that  the  impious  ar«  excited  to  war 
by  his  hissing,  by  the  sound  of  his  trumpet,  by  his  influence, 
and  by  his  command:  he  calls  the  Assyrian  the  rod  of  his 
anger,  and  the  staff  which  he  moves  with  his  hand.  The 
destruction  of  the  holy  city,  and  the  ruin  of  the  temple  he  calls 
his  own  work,  (y*)  David,  not  murmuring  against  God,  but 
acknowledging  him  to  be  a  righteous  Judge,  confesses  the 
maledictions  of  Shimei  to  proceed  from  his  command.  "  The 
Lord,"  says  he,  "hath  said  unto  him,  Curse."  (^)  It  often 
occurs  in  the  Sacred  History,  that  whatever  comes  to  pass  pro- 
ceeds from  the  Lord;  as  the  defection  of  the  ten  tribes,  (/*)  the 
death  of  the  sons  of  Eli,  (z)  and  many  events  of  a  similar  kind. 
Those  who  are  but  moderately  acquainted  with  the  Scriptures 
will  perceive  that,  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  out  of  a  great  number 
of  testimonies,  I  have  produced  only  a  few;  which  nevertheless 
abundantly  evince  how  nugatory  and  insipid  it  is,  instead  of 
the  providence  of  God,  to  substitute  a  bare  permission:  as 
though  God  were  sitting  in  a  watch-tower,  expecting  fortuitous 
events,  and  so  his  decisions  were  dependent  on  the  will 
of  men. 

II.  With  respect  to  his  secret  influences,  the  declaration  of 
Solomon  concerning  the  heart  of  a  king,  that  it  is  inclined 
hither  or  thither,  according  to  the  divine  will,  (>£)  certainly  ex- 
tends to  the  whole  human  race,  and  is  as  much  as  though  he 
had  said,  that  whatever  conceptions  we  form  in  our  minds,  they 
are  directed  by  the  secret  inspiration  of  God.  And  certainly, 

(c)  Acts  iii.  18.  (d )  2  Sam.  xii.  12.  xvi.  22- 

(c)  Jer.  1.  25.  (/)  Isaiah  v.  26.  x.  5.  xix.  25 

(g-)  2  Sam.  xvi.  10.  (A)  1  Kings  xi.  31. 

(i)  1  Sam.  ii.  34-  (h)  Prov.  xxi.  1. 


CHAP,  xviu.]    CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  247 

if  he  did  not  operate  internally  on  the  human  mind,  there 
would  be  no  propriety  in  asserting,  that  he  causeth  "the 
M'isdom  of  the  wise  to  perish,  and  the  understanding  of  the 
prudent  to  be  hid;  that  he  poureth  contempt  upon  princes, 
and  causeth  them  to  wander  in  the  wilderness,  where  there  is 
no  way."  (/)  And  to  this  alludes,  what  we  frequently  read,  that 
men  are  timorous,  as  their  hearts  are  possessed  with  his  fear,  (m) 
Thus  David  departed  from  the  camp  of  Saul,  without  the 
knowledge  of  any  one;  "because  a  deep  sleep  from  the  Lord 
was  fallen  upon  them  all."  (?z)  But  nothing  can  be  desired  more 
explicit  than  his  frequent  declarations,  that  he  blinds  the  minds 
of  men,  strikes  them  with  giddiness,  inebriates  them  with  the 
spirit  of  slumber,  fills  them  with  infatuation,  and  hardens  their 
hearts.  (<?)  These  passages  also  many  persons  refer  to  permis- 
sion, as  though,  in  abandoning  the  reprobate,  God  permitted 
them  to  be  blinded  by  Satan.  But  that  solution  is  too  frivolous, 
since  the  Holy  Spirit  expressly  declares  that  their  blindness 
and  infatuation  are  inflicted  by  the  righteous  judgment  of 
God.  He  is  said  to  have  caused  the  obduracy  of  Pharaoh's 
heart,  and  also  to  have  aggravated  and  confirmed  it.  Some- 
elude  the  force  of  these  expressions  with  a  foolish  cavil;  that, 
since  Pharoah  himself  is  elsewhere  said  to  have  hardened  his 
own  heart,  his  own  will  is  stated  as  the  cause  of  his  obduracy. 
As  though  these  two  things  were  at  all  incompatible  with  each 
other,  that  man  should  be  actuated  by  God,  and  yet  at  tru 
same  time  be  active  himself.  But  I  retort  on  them  their  own 
objection;  for  if  hardening-  denotes  a  bare  permission,  Pharoah 
cannot  properly  be  charged  with  being  the  cause  of  his  own 
obstinacy.  Now  how  weak  and  insipid  would  be  such  an  in- 
terpretation, as  though  Pharoah  only  permitted  himself  to  be 
hardened.  Besides  the  Scripture  cuts  off  all  occasion  for  such 
cavils.  God  says,  "  I  will  harden  his  heart."  (/>)  So  also  Moses 
says,  concerning  the  inhabitants  of  Canaan,  that  they  marched 
forth  to  battle,  because  the  Lord  had  hardened  their  hearts;  (^) 
which  is  likewise  repeated  by  another  Prophet;  *'  He  turned 
their  hearts  to  hate  his  people."  (r)  Thus  also,  in  Isaiah,  he 

(/)  Isaiah  xxix.  14.  Psalm  cvii.  40.  Ezek.  vii.  26.  (m)  Lev.  xxvi.  36. 

(n)  1  Sam.  xxvi.  12-  (o)  Rom.  i.  28.  xi.  8.  Exod.  viii.  15. 

(/»)  Exod.  iv.  21.        (?)  Deut.  ii.  30.  Joshua  xi.  20.          (r)  Psalm  cv.  25. 


248  INSTITUTES   OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

declares  that  he  will  "send  the  Assyrians  against  an  hypocri- 
tical nation,  and  will  give  him  a  charge  to  take  the  spoil,  and 
to  take  the  prey:"  (*)  not  that  he  meant  to  teach  impious  and 
refractory  men  a  voluntary  obedience,  but  because  he  would 
incline  them  to  execute  his  judgments,  just  as  if  they  had  his 
commands  engraven  on  their  minds.  Hence  it  appears  that 
they  were  impelled  by  the  positive  appointment  of  God.  I  grant 
indeed,  that  God  often  actuates  the  reprobate  by  the  interposi- 
tion of  Satan;  but  in  such  a  manner  that  Satan  himself  acts 
his  part  by  the  Divine  impulse,  and  proceeds  to  the  extent  of 
the  Divine  appointment.  Saul  was  disturbed  by  an  evil  spirit; 
but  it  is  said  to  be  "from  the  Lord;"  (£)  to  teach  us  that  Saul's 
madness  proceeded  from  the  righteous  vengeance  of  God. 
Satan  is  also  said  to  blind  "the  minds  of  them  which  believe 
not;"  (li)  but  the  strength  of  the  delusion  proceeds  from  God 
himself,  "  that  they  should  believe  a  lie,  who  believe  not  the 
truth."  (t>)  According  to  one  view  of  the  subject,  it  is  said,  tt  If 
the  prophet  be  deceived  when  he  hath  spoken  a  thing,  1  the 
Lord  have  deceived  that  prophet."  (rr)  But  according  to 
another,  God  is  said  himself  to  "  give  men  over  to  a  repro- 
bate mind,"  (x)  and  to  the  vilest  lusts:  because  he  is  the  prin- 
cipal author  of  his  own  righteous  vengeance,  and  Satan  i^ 
only  the  dispenser  of  it.  But  as  we  must  discuss  this  subject 
again  in  the  Second  Book,  where  we  shall  treat  of  the  free'dom 
or  slavery  of  the  human  will,  I  think  I  have  now  said  in  a 
brief  manner  as  much  as  the  occasion  required.  The  whole- 
may  be  summed  up  thus;  that  as  the  will  of  God  is  said  to  In 
the  cause  of  all  things,  his  providence  is  established  as  tin- 
governor  in  all  the  counsels  and  works  of  men,  so  that  it  noi 
only  exerts  its  power  in  the  elect,  who  are  influenced  by  tin 
Holy  Spirit,  but  also  compels  the  compliance  of  the  re  pro 
bate. 

III.  But  as  I  have  hitherto  only  recited  such  things  as  air 
delivered  without  any  obscurity  or  ambiguity  in  the  Scripture-, 
let  persons  who  hesitate  not  to  brand  with  ignominy  those 
oracles  of  heaven,  beware  what  kind  of  opposition  the}-  make. 
For  if  they  pretend  ignorance,  with  a  desire  to  be  commended 

(i-)  Isauih  x.  6.  (t)  1  Sam.  xvi.  14.  («)  2  Cor.  i-.     I, 

(»)  2  Thess.  Li.  10—12.    (u-)  Ezck.  xiv.  9.  (a;)  Ruin. 


CHAP,  xviii.j     CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  249 

for  their  modesty,  what  greater  instance  of  pride  can  be  con- 
ceived, than  to  oppose  one  little  word  to  the  authority  of  God; 
as,  "  it  appears  otherwise  to  me,"  or, "  I  would  rather  not  med- 
dle with  this  subject."  But  if  they  openly  censure,  what  will  they 
gain  by  their  puny  attempts  against  heaven?  Their  petulance 
indeed  is  no  novelty,  for  in  all  ages  there  have  been  impious 
and  profane  men,  who  have  virulently  opposed  this  doctrine. 
But  they  shall  feel  the  truth  of  what  the  Spirit  long  ago  de- 
clared by  the  mouth  of  David,  that  God  "  is  clear  when  he 
judgeth."(z/)  David  obliquely  hints  at  the  madness  of  men 
who  display  such  excessive  presumption  amidst  their  insig- 
nificance, as  not  only  to  dispute  against  God,  but  to  arrogate 
to  themselves  the  power  of  condemning  him.  In  the  mean 
time,  he  briefly  suggests,  that  God  is  unaffected  by  all  the 
blasphemies  which  they  discharge  against  heaven,  but  that  he 
dissipates  the  mists  of  calumny,  and  illustriously  displays  his 
righteousness:  our  faith  also,  being  founded  oft  the  Divine 
word,  (2)  and  therefore  superior  to  all  the  world,  from  its  ex- 
altation looks  down  with  contempt  upou  those  mists.  For 
their  first  objection,  that  if  nothing  happens  but  by  the  will  of 
God,  he  has  in  him  two  contrary  wills,  because  he  decrees  in 
his  secret  counsel  what  he  liath  publicly  prohibited  in  his  law, 
is  easily  refuted.  But  before  I  reply,  I  wish  the  reader  again 
to  be  apprised,  that  this  cavil  is  directed,  not  against  me,  but 
against  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  dictated  to  the  pious  Job  this 
confession,  that  what  had  befallen  him  had  happened  according 
to  the  Divine  will:  when  he  had  been  plundered  by  banditti, 
he  acknowledged  in  their  injuries  the  righteous  scourge  of 
God.  (a)  What  says  the  Scripture  in  another  case?  "  They," 
the  sons  of  Eli,  "  hearkened  not  unto  the  voice  of  their  father, 
because  the  Lord  would  slay  them."  (6)  The  Psalmist  also 
exclaims,  that  "  God,"  who  "  is  in  the  heavens,  hath  done 
whatsoever  he  hath  pleased."  (r)  And  now  I  have  sufficiently 
proved,  that  God  is  called  the  Author  of  all  those  things, 
which,  according  to  the  system  of  these  censors,  happen  only 
by  his  un'mfluential  permission.  He  declares  that  he  creates 
light  and  darkness,  that  he  forms  good  and  evil:  (W)  and 

00  Psalm  li.  4.  (2)  1  John  v.  4.  (a)  Job  i.  21. 

(If)  1  Sam.  ii.  25.          (c)  Psalm  cxv.  3.          (rf)  Isaiah  xlv.  7.      Amos  iii.    : 

VOL.  I,  21 


250  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  i. 

that  no  evil  occurs,  which  lie  hath  not  performed.  Let  them 
say  then,  whether  he  exercise's  his  judgments  voluntarily  or 
involuntarily.  But  as  Moses  suggests,  that  he  who  is  killed 
by  the  fortuitous  fall  of  an  axe,  is  delivered  by  God  to  the 
stroke:  (e)  so,  in  the  Acts,  the  whole  Church  asserts  that  Herod 
and  Pilate  conspired  to  do  what  the  hand  and  the  counsel  of 
God  had  predetermined,  (y*)  And  indeed,  unless  the  cru- 
cifixion of  Christ  was  according  to  the  will  of  God,  what 
becomes  of  our  redemption?  Yet  the  will  of  God  is  neither 
repugnant  to  itself,  nor  subject  to  change,  nor  chargeable  with 
pretending  to  dislike  what  it  approves:  but  whilst  in  him  it  is 
uniform  and  simple,  it  wears  to  us  the  appearance  of  variety; 
because  the  weakness  of  our  understanding  comprehends  not 
how  the  same  thing  may  be  in  different  respects  both  agreeable 
to  his  will,  and  contrary  to  it.  Paul,  after  having  said  that 
the  vocation  of  the  Gentiles  was  a  hidden  mystery,  adds,  that 
it  contained  a  manifestation  of  the  manifold  wisdom  of  God.  (,§•) 
Now  because,  through  the  dulness  of  our  capacity,  the  Divine 
wisdom  appears  to  us  manifold  (or  multiform,  as  it  has  been 
translated  by  an  ancient  interpreter),  shall  we  therefore  dream 
of  any  vanity  in  God  himself,  as  though  his  counsels  were 
mutable,  or  his  thoughts  contradictory  to  each  other?  Rather, 
while  we  comprehend  not  how  God  intends  that  to  be  done, 
the  doing  of  which  he  forbids,  let  us  remember  our  imbecility, 
and  at  the  same  time  consider,  that  the  light  which  he  inha- 
bits, is  justly  called  inaccessible,  (A)  because  it  is  overspread 
with  impenetrable  darkness.  Therefore  all  pious  and  modest 
men  will  easily  acquiesce  in  this  opinion  of  Augustine:  "  That 
a  man  may  sometimes  choose  with  a  good  intention,  that  which 
is  not  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God;  as,  if  a  good  son  wishes 
his  father  to  live,  whilst  God  determines  that  he  shall  die.  It 
is  also  possible  for  a  man  to  will  with  a  bad  design,  what  God 
wills  with  a  good  one;  as,  if  a  bad  son  wishes  his  father  to  die, 
which  is  also  the  will  of  God.  Now  the  former  wishes  what 
is  not  agreeable,  the  latter  what  is  agreeable,  to  the  Divine  will. 
And  yet  the  filial  affection  of  the  former  is  more  consonant  to 
the  righteous  will  of  God,  than  the  want  of  natural  affection 

(c)  Deut.  xix.  5.  (/)  Acts  iv.  28. 

(?)  Ephes.  iii.  9, 10.  (/<)  1  Tim.  vi.  16. 


CHAP,  xviii.]    CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  251 

in  the  latter,   though    it   accords  with  his  secret    design.  So 
great  is    the  difference  between  what  belongs  to  the  human 
will  and  what  to  the  Divine,  and  between  the  ends  to  which 
the  will  of  every  one  is  to  be  referred,  for  approbation  or  cen- 
sure. For  God  fulfils  his  righteous  will  by  the  wicked  wills  of 
wicked  men."  This  writer  had  just  before  said,  that  the  apostate 
angels,  and  all  the  reprobate,  in  their  defection,  acted,  as  far  as 
respected   themselves,  in  direct  opposition  to  the  Divine  will; 
but  that  this  was  not  possible  with  respect  to  the  Divine  omni- 
potence; because,  while  they  are  opposing  the  will  of  God,  his 
will  is  accomplished  concerning  them.  Whence  he  exclaims, 
"  The  works  of  the  Lord  are  great,  prepared  according  to  all 
his  determinations:"  (z)  so  that  in  a  wonderful  and  ineffable 
manner  that  is  not  done  without  his  will,  which  yet  is  contrary 
to  his  will;  because  it  would  not  be  done,  if  he  did  not  permit 
it:  and  this  permission  is  not  involuntary,  but  voluntary:  nor 
would  his  goodness  permit  the  perpetration  of  any  evil,  unless 
his  omnipotence  were  able  even  from  evil  to  educe  good. 

IV.  In  the  same  manner  we  answer,  or  rather  annihilate 
another  objection,  that  if  God  not  only  uses  the  agency  of  the 
impious,  but  governs  their  designs  and  affections,  he  is  the 
author  of  all  crimes;  and  therefore  men  are  undeservedly 
condemned,  if  they  execute  what  God  hath  decreed,  because 
they  obey  his  will.  For  his  will'  is  unproperly  confounded 
with  his  precept,  between  which"  Innumerable  examples  evince 
the  difference  to  be  very  great.  For  although,  when  Absalom 
defiled  the  wives  of  his  father,  it  was  the  will  of  God  by  this 
disgrace  to  punish  the  adultery  of  David;  (^)  he  did  not  there- 
fore command  that  abandoned  son  to  commit  incest,  unless 
perhaps  with  respect  to  David,  as  he  speaks  of  the  reproaches 
of  Shimei.  (/)  For  when  he  confesses  Shimei's  maledictions  to 
proceed  from  the  Divine  command,  he  by  no  means  commends 
his  obedience,  as  though  that  impudent  and  worthless  man 
were  fulfilling  a  Divine  precept;  but  acknowledging  his  tongue 
as  the  scourge  of  God,  he  patiently  submits  to  the  chastise- 
ment. Let  it  be  remembered,  that  whilst  God  by  means  of 

--•  J 

the  impious  fulfils  his  secret  decrees,  they  are  not  excusable, 
(0  Psalm  cxi.  2.         (*)  2  Sam.  xvi.  22.         (/)  2  Sam.  xvi.  10. 


252     fi  INSTITUTES  OF  TIIK  t'!<"^  '- 

~.l //  -f    fl   'fe  *\A *-  ""^^  f  .*•»  tf      X^Sr  *  — ^  ^>*LTfc 

h  they  were  obedient  to  his  precepts,  which  they  wan- 
tonly and  intentionally  violate.  The  direction  of  the  perverse 
actions  of  men,  by  the  secret  providence  of  God,  is  illustriously 
exemplified  in  the  election  of  Jeroboam  to  the  regal  dignity.  (?n) 
The  temerity  and  infatuation  of  the  people  in  this  proceeding 
are  severely  condemned,  (n)  because  they  perverted  the  order 
established  by  God,  and  perfidiously  revolted  from  the  fam  ily 
of  David:  and  yet  we  know  that  this  event  was  agreeable 
to  the  Divine  will.  Whence  there  is  an  appearance  of  con- 
tradiction also  in  the  language  of  Hosea;  for  in  one  place 
God  complains  that  the  erection  of  that  kingdom  was  without 
his  knowledge  and  against  his  will;  but  in  another  declares, 
that  he  gave  Jeroboam  to  be  a  king  in  his  anger.  (<?)  How  can 
these  things  be  reconciled,  that  Jeroboam  did  not  reign  by  the 
will  of  God,  and  yet  that  God  appointed  him  to  be  king?  Why 
thus:  because  neither  could  the  people  revolt  from  the  family  of 
David,  without  shaking  off  the  yoke  which  God  had  imposed  on 
them;  nor  yet  was  God  deprived  of  the  liberty  of  thus  punishing 
the  ingratitude  of  Solomon.  We  see  then  how  God,  while  he 
hates  perfidy,  yet  righteously  and  with  a  different  design  de- 
crees the  defection;  Avhence  also  Jeroboam  is,  beyond  all  ex- 
pectation, constrained  by  the  holy  unction  to  assume  the  regal 
office.  In  the  same  manner,  the  Sacred  History  relates,  that 
God  raised  up  an  enemy,  to  deprive  the  son  of  Solomon  of 
part  of  the  kingdom,  (p)  Let  the  reader  diligently  consider 
both  these  things;  because  it  had  pleased  God  that  the  people 
should  be  under  the  government  of  one  king,  their  division 
into  two  parts  was  contrary  to  his  will;  and  yet  from  his  will 
the  schism  first  originated.  For  certainly  since  a  Prophet, 
both  by  a  prediction  and  by  the  ceremony  of  unction,  excited 
a  hope  of  succeeding  to  the  kingdom,  in  the  mind  of  Jeroboam, 
who  before  entertained  not  a  thought  of  such  an  event,  this 
could  not  be  done,  either  without  the  knowledge,  or  against 
the  will,  of  God  who  commanded  it  to  be  done:  and  yet  the 
rebellion  of  the  people  is  justly  condemned,  because,  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  Divine  will,  they  revolted  from  the  posterity  of 
David.  Thus  also  it  is  afterwards  subjoined,  that  "  the  cause" 

(in)  1  King's  xii.  20.  (M)  Hosea  viii.  4. 

(o)  Hosea  xiii.  11.  (/»)  1  Kings  xi.  23. 


CHAP,  xviii.]    CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  253 

of  the  haughty  contempt  of  the  people  manifested  by  Rehoboam 
"  was  of  God,  that  the  Lord  might  perform  his  word,  which  he 
spake  by  the  hand  of  Ahijah"  his  servant,  (y)  See  how  the 
sacred  union  is  divided,  in  opposition  to  the  will  of  God,  and 
yet  by  his  will  the  ten  tribes  are  alienated  from  the  son  of  Solo- 
mon. Let  us  add  another  similar  example,  where  with  the 
consent,  and  even  by  the  assistance  of  the  people,  the  sons  of 
Ahab  are  massacred,  and  all  his  posterity  exterminated,  (r) 
Jehu  indeed  truly  observed,  that  u  there  should  fall  into  the 
earth  nothing  of  the  word  of  the  Lord,"  but  that  he  had  "  done 
that  which  he  spake  by  his  servant  Elijah."  And  yet  he  justly 
reprehends  the  citizens  of  Samaria  for  having  lent  their  assist- 
ance. "  Are  ye  righteous?"  says  he;  "  behold,  I  conspired 
against  my  master,  and  slew  him:  but  who  slew  all  these?"  If 
I  am  not  deceived,  I  have  now  clearly  explained  how  the  same 
act  displays  the  criminality  of  men,  and  the  justice  of  God. 
And  to  modest  minds  this  answer  of  Augustine  will  always  be 
sufficient:  "  Since  God  delivered  Christ,  and  Christ  delivered 
his  own  body,  and  Judas  delivered  the  Lord,  why  in  this  deli- 
very is  God  righteous  and  man  guilty?  Because  in  the  same 
act  they  acted  not  from  the  same  cause."  But  if  any  persons 
find  greater  difficulty  in  what  we  now  assert,  that  there  is  no 
consent  between  God  and  man,  in  cases  where  man  by  his 
righteous  influence  commits  unlawful  actions,  let  them  remem- 
ber what  is  advanced  by  Augustine  in  another  place:  "  Who 
can  but  tremble  at  those  judgments,  when  God  does  even  in 
the  hearts  of  the  wicked  whatsoever  he  pleases,  and  yet  renders 
to  them  according  to  their  demerits?"  And  certainly  it  would 
no  more  be  right  to  attribute  to  God  the  blame  of  the  perfidy 
of  Judas,  because  he  decreed  fhe  delivery  of  his  Son,  and 
actually  delivered  him  to  death;  than  to  transfer  to  Judas  the 
praise  of  redemption.  Therefore  the  same  writer  elsewhere 
informs  us,  that  in  this  scrutiny  God  inquires,  not  what  men 
could  have  done,  nor  what  they  have  done,  but  what  they 
intended  to  do,  that  he  may  take  cognizance  of  their  design  and 
their  will.  Let  those  to  whom  there  appears  any  harshness 
in  this  procedure,  consider  a  little  how  far  their  obstinacy  is 

(q)  1  Kings  xii.  15.    SChron.x.  15.         (r)  2  Kings  x.  7,  9, 10. 


254  INSTITUTES,  &c.  [BOOK  i. 

tolerable,  while  they  reject  a  truth  which  is  attested  by  plain 
testimonies  of  Scripture,  because  it  exceeds  their  comprehen- 
sion, and  condemn  the  publication  of  those  things  which  God, 
unless  he  had  known  that  the  knowledge  of  them  would  be 
useful,  would  never  have  commanded  to  be  taught  by  his 
Prophets  and  Apostles.  For  9ur  wisdom  ought  to  consist^in 
embracing  with  gentle  docility,  and  without  any  exception,  all 
that  is  delivered  in  the  sacred  Scriptures.  But  those  who  oppose 
this  doctrine  with  less  modesty  and  greater  violence,  since  it  is 
evident  that  their  opposition  is  against  God,  are  unworthy  of  a 
longer  refutation. 


BOOK  II. 

On  the  Knowledge  of  God  the  Redeemer  in  Christy  which 
was  revealed  first  to  the  Fathers  under  the  /./aw,  and 
since  to  its  in  the  Gospel. 


ARGUMENT. 

L  HE  discussion  of  the  first  part  of  the  Apostolic  Creed,  on  the 
knowledge  of  God  the  Creator,  being  finished,  is  followed  by 
another,  on  the  knowledge  of  God  the  Redeemer  in  Christ, 
which  is  the  subject  of  this  Second  Book. 

It  treats,  first,  of  the  occasion  of  redemption,  that  is,  the  fall  of 
Adam;  secondly,  of  the  redemption  itself.  The  former  of  these 
subjects  occupies  the  first  five  chapters;  the  remaining  ones  are 
assigned  to  the  latter. 

On  the  occasion  of  redemption,  it  treats,  not  only  of  the  fall  in 
general,  but  also  of  its  effects  in  particular;  that  is,  of  original 
sin,  the  slavery  of  the  will,  the  universal  corruption  of  human 
nature,  the  operation  of  God  in  the  hearts  of  men — Chap.  I — IV. 
to  which  is  subjoined  a  refutation  of  the  objections  commonly 
adduced  in  defence  of  free  will— Chap.  V. 

The  discourse  on  redemption  may  be  divided  into  five  principal 
parts.  It  shews, 

1 .  In  whom  salvation  must  be  sought  by  lost  man,  that  is  in  Christ- 
Chap.  VI. 

2.  How  Christ  has  been  manifested  to  the  world:  which  has  beei: 
in  two  ways;  first,  under  the  law  (which  introduces  an  explana- 
tion of  the  Decalogue,  and  a  discussion  of  some  other  things  re- 
lative to  the  Law) — Chap.  VII.  VIII.;  secondly,  under  the  Gospel, 
which  leads  to  a  statement  of  the  similarity  and  difference  of  the 
two  Testaments — Chap.  IX — XI. 

3.  What  kind  of  a  being  it  was  necessary  for  Christ  to  be,  in  order 
to  his  fulfilment  of  the  office  of  a  Mediator;  that  is,  God  and 
man  in  one  person — Chap.  XII— XIV. 


256  ARGUMENT. 

4.  The  end  of  his  mission  from  the  Father  into  the  world — Chap.  XV. 
which  explains  his  prophetical,  regal,  and  sacerdotal  offices. 

5.  The  methods  or  steps  by  which  he  fulfilled  the  part  of  a  Re- 
deemer, to  procure  our  salvation — Chap.  XVI.  which  discusses 
the  articles  relating  to  his  crucifixion,  death,  burial,  descent  into 
hell,  resurrection,  ascension  to  heaven,  session  at  the  right  hand 
of  the  Father,  and  the  benefits  arising  from  this  doctrine.  Then 
follows  Chap.  XVII.  a  solution  of  the  question,  Whether  Christ 
merited  for  us  the  grace  of  God  and  salvation? 


INSTITUTES 


OF  THE 


CHRISTIAN  RELIGION 


wwwwww 

BOOK  II. 


CHAP.  I. 

The  Fall  and  Defection  of  Adam  the  Cause  of  the  Curse  in- 
flicted on  all  Mankind,  and  of  their  Degeneracy  from  their 
primitive  Condition.  The  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin. 

J.  HERE  is  much  reason  in  the  old  adage,  which  so  strongly 
recommends  to  man  the  knowledge  of  himself.  For  if  it  be 
thought  disgraceful  to  be  ignorant  of  whatever  relates  to  the 
conduct  of  human  life,  ignorance  of  ourselves  is  much  more 
shameful,  which  causes  us,  in  deliberating  on  subjects'  of  im- 
portance, to  grope  our  way  in  miserable  obscurity,  or  even  in 
total  darkness.  But  in  proportion  to  the  utility  of  this  precept 
«ught  to  be  our  caution  not  to  make  a  preposterous  use  of  it; 
as  we  see  some  philosophers  have  done.  For  while  they  exhort 
man  to  the  knowledge  of  himself,  the  end  they  propose  is  that 
he  may  not  remain  ignorant  of  his  own  dignity  and  excellence: 
nor  do  they  wish  him  to  contemplate  in  himself  any  thing  but 
what  may  swell  him  with  vain  confidence,  and  inflate  him  with 
pride.  But  the  knowledge  of  ourselves  consists,  first,  in  con- 
sidering what  was  bestowad  on  us  at  our  creation,  and  the 
favours  we  continually  receive  from  the  Divine  benignity,  that 
we  may  know  how  great  the  excellence  of  our  nature  would 
have  been,  if  it  had  retained  its  integrity;  yet  at  the  same 
time,  recollecting  that  we  have  nothing  properly  our  own,  may 
VOL.  I.  2  K 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

feel  our  precarious  tenure  of  all  that  God  hath  conferred  on 
us,  so  as  always  to  place  our  dependence  upon  him.  SrcomlK , 
we  should  contemplate  our  miserable  condition  since  the  full  oi 
Adam,  the  sense  of  which  tends  to  destroy  all  boasting  and 
confidence,  to  overwhelm  us  with  shame,  and  to  fill  us  with 
real  humility.  For  as  God  at  the  beginning  formed  us  after 
his  own  image,  that  he  might  elevate  our  minds  both  to  the 
practice  of  virtue,  and  to  the  contemplation  of  eternal  life;  so, 
to  prevent  the  great  excellence  of  our  species,  which  distin- 
guishes us  from  the  brutes,  from  being  buried  in  sottish  indo- 
lence, it  is  worthy  of  observation,  that  the  design  of  our  being 
endued  with  reason  and  intelligence  is,  that  leading  a  holy  and 
virtuous  life,  we  may  aspire  to  the  mark  set  before  us  of  a 
blessed  immortality.  But  we  cannot  think  upon  that  primeval 
dignity,  without  having  our  attention  immediately  called  to  the 
melancholy  spectacle  of  our  disgrace  and  ignominy,  since  in 
the  person  of  the  first  man  we  are  fallen  from  our  original  condi- 
tion. Hence  arises  disapprobation  and  abhorrence  of  ourselves, 
and  real  humility;  and  we  are  inflamed  with  fresh  ardour  tu 
seek  after  God,  to  recover  in  him  those  excellencies  of  which 
we  find  ourselves  utterly  destitute. 

II.  This  is  what  the  truth  of  God  directs  us  to  seek  in  the 
examination  of  ourselves:  it  requires  a  knowledge  that  will 
abstract  us  from  all  confidence  in  our  own  ability,  deprive 
us  of  every  cause  of  boasting,  and  reduce  us  to  submission. 
We  must  observe  this  rule,  if  we  wish  to  reach  the  proper 
point  of  knowledge  and  action.  I  am  aware  of  the  superior 
plausibility  of  that  opinion,  which  invites  us  rather  to  a  consi- 
deration of  our  goodness,  than  to  a  view  of  our  miserable 
poverty  and  ignominy,  which  ought  to  overwhelm  us  with 
shame.  For  there  is  nothing  more  desired  by  the  human 
mind  than  soothing  flatteries;  and  therefore,  to  hear  its  ex- 
cellencies magnified,  it  listens  with  extreme  credulity.  Where- 
fore it  is  the  less  wonderful  that  the  majority  of  mankind  have 
fallen  into  such  a  pernicious  error.  For  an  immoderate  self- 
love  being  innate  in  all  men,  they  readily  persuade  themselves 
that  there  is  nothing  in  them  which  justly  deserves  to  be  an 
object  of  aversion.  Thus  without  any  extraneous  support, 
this  very  false  opinion,  that  man  has  in  himself  sufficient 


CHAP.  T.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  259 

ability  to  ensure  his  own  virtue  and  happiness,  generally  pre- 
vails.  But  if  some  prefer  more  modest  sentiments,  though 
they  concede  something  to  God,  in  order  to  avoid  the  appear  - 
anCe  of  arrogating  every  thing  to  themselves,  yet  they  make 
such  a  distribution,  that  the  principal  cause  of  boasting  and 
confidence  always  remains  with  them.  If  they  hear  any  dis- 
course that  flatters  the  pride  already  operating  spontaneously  in 
their  hearts,  nothing  can  gratify  them  more.  Therefore  every 
one  who  in  his  preaching  has  kindly  extolled  the  excellence  of 
human  nature,  has  received  great  applause  from  almost  all 
ages.  But  such  a  commendation  of  human  excellence  as 
teaches  man  to  be  satisfied  with  himself,  only  enamours  him 
of  his  own  amiableness,  and  thus  produces  an  illusion  which 
involves  those  who  assent  to  it  in  most  dreadful  perdition.  For 
to  what  purpose  is  it  for  us,  relying  on  all  our  vain  confidence, 
to  deliberate,  to  determine,  and  to  attempt  things  which  we 
think  tend  to  our  advantage;  and  in  ovir  first  efforts,  to  find 
ourselves  destitute  of  sound  understanding  and  true  virtue; 
yet  securely  to  proceed,  till  we  fall  into  destruction?  But 
this  must  be  the  fate  of  all  who  confide  in  the  efficacy  of  their 
own  virtue.  Whoever  therefore  attends  to  such  teachers  as 
amuse  us  with  a  mere  exhibition  of  our  virtues,  will  make  no 
progress  in  the  knowledge  of  himself,  but  will  be  absorbed  in 
the  most  pernicious  ignorance. 

III.  Therefore,  whilst  the  truth  of  God  agrees  in  this  point 
with  the  common  consent  of  all  mankind,  that  the  second 
branch  of  wisdom  consists  in  the  knowledge  of  ourselves, 
yet  with  respect  to  the  knowledge  itself  there  is  no  small  dis- 
n^reenient.  For  according  to  carnal  apprehension,  a  man  is 
thought  to  be  well  acquainted  with  himself,  when  confiding 
in  his  own  understanding  and  integrity,  he  assumes  a  presump- 
tuous boldness,  incites  himself  to  the  duties  of  virtue,  and  de- 
claring war  against  vice,  uses  his  most  strenuous  endeavours  to 
adhere  to  what  is  fair  and  honourable.  But  he,  who  inspects 
and  examines  himself  by  the  rule  of  the  Divine  judgment,  finds 
nothing  that  can  raise  his  mind  to  a  genuine  confidence;  and 
the  more  fully  he  has  examined  himself,  the  greater  is  his 
dejection:  till  entirely  discarding  all  confidence,  he  leaves  him- 
self no  principle  for  the  proper  conduct  of  his  life.  Yet  it  is 


260  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11.- 

not  the  will  of  God  that  we  should  forget  the  primitive  dignity, 
conferred  by  him  on  our  father  Adajn,  which  ought  justly  to 
awaken  us  to  the  pursuit  of  righteousness  and  gobdness.  For 
we  cannot  reflect  on  our  original  condition,  and  on  the  end 
of  our  creation,  without  being  excited  to  meditate  on  immor- 
tality, and  to  aspire  after  the  kingdom  of  God.  But  this  re- 
flection is  so  far  from  elating  us  with  pride,  that  it  rather  pro- 
duces humility.  For  what  is  that  original  condition?  That 
from  which  we  are  fallen.  What  is  that  end  of  our  creation? 
That  from  which  we  are  wholly  departed;  so  that  we  should 
lament  the  miseries  of  our  present  state,  and  in  the  midst  of 
our  lamentation,  aspire  after  the  dignity  which  we  have  lost. 
Now  when  we  say  that  man  should  behold  in  himself  nothing 
that  might  elate  him  with  pride,  we  mean  that  there  is  nothing 
in  him  in  the  confidence  of  which  he  ought  to  be  proud. 
Wherefore  we  may  divide  the  knowledge  man  ought  to  have 
of  himself  into  these  two  parts.  First,  he  should  consider  the  end 
of  his  being  created  and  endued  with  such  estimable-  gifts;  a 
reflection  which  may  excite  him  to  the  consideration  of  divine 
worship,  and  of  a  future  life.  Secondly,  he  should  examine 
his  own  ability,  or  rather  his  want  of  ability,  the  view  of  which 
may  confound  and  almost  annihilate  him.  The  former  con- 
sideration is  adapted  to  acquaint  him  with  his  duty,  the  latter 
with  his  power  to  perform  it.  We  shall  treat  of  them  both  in 
regular  order. 

IV.  But  since  it  could  not  have  been  a  trivial  offence,  but 
must  have  been  a  detestable  crime,  that  was  so  severely  punished 
by  God,  we  must  consider  the  nature  of  Adam's  sin,  which 
kindled  the  dreadful  flame  of  divine  wrath  against  the  whole 
human  race.  The  vulgar  opinion  concerning  the  intemperance 
of  gluttony  is  quite  puerile.  As  though  the  sum  and  substance 
of  all  virtues  consisted  in  an  abstinence  from  one  particular 
kind  of  fruit,  when  there  were  diffused  on  every  side  all  the 
delights  which  could  possibly  be  desired,  and  the  happy  fecun- 
dity of  the  earth  afforded  an  abundance  and  variety  of  dainties. 
We  must  therefore  look  farther,  because  the  prohibition  of 
the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  was  a  test  of  obedience, 
that  Adam  might  prove  his  willing  submission  to  the  divine 
government.  And  4he  name  itself  shews  that  the  precept  was 


I;HAP.  i.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  261 

given  for  no  other  purpose  than  that  he  might  be  contented 
with  his  condition,  and  not  aim  with  criminal  cupidity  at  any 
higher.    But  the    promise  which   authorised    him    to   expect 
external  life,  as  long  as  he  should  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  on 
the  other  hand,  the  dreadful  denunciation  of  death,  as  soon  as 
he  should  taste  of  the  tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  were 
calculated  for  the  probation  and  exercise  of  his  faith.  Hence 
it  is  easy  to  infer,  by  what  means  Adam  provoked  the  wrath 
of  God  against  him.  Augustine  indeed  properly  observes,  that 
pride  was  the  firs^t  of  all  evils:  because  if  ambition  had  not  elated 
man  beyond  what  was  lawful  and  right,  he  might  have  continued 
in  his  honourable  situation.  But  we  may  obtain  a  more  com- 
plete definition  from  the  nature  of  the  temptation,  as  described 
by  Moses.  For  as   the  woman,  by  the  subtlety  of  the  serpent, 
was  seduced  to  discredit  the  word  of  God,  it  is  evident  that  the 
fall  commenced  in  disobedience.  This  is  also  confirmed  by  Paul, 
who  states  that  all  men  were  ruined  by  the  disobedience  of  one.  (*) 
But  it  is  also  to  be  observed,  that  when  the  first  man  rebelled 
against  the  government  of  God,  he  not  only  was  ensnared  by 
the  allurements  of  Satan,  but  despised  the  truth,  and  turned 
aside  to  falsehood.   And  there  certainly  can  be  no  reverence 
oi  God  left,  where  his  word  is  contemned;  for  we  preserve  a 
sense  of  his  majesty  and  the  purity  of  his  worship,  no  longer 
than   we  implicity  attend   to  his  voice.    Infidelity    therefore 
was  the  root  of  that  defection.  But  hence  sprang  ambition, 
pride,  and  ingratitude,   since  Adam,  by  coveting  more  than 
was   granted,   offered  an   indignity  to  the   Divine    goodness, 
which  had  so  greatly  enriched  him.  Now  it  was  monstrous 
impiety,  that  a  son  of  the  earth  should  not  be  satisfied  with 
being  made  after  the  similitude  of  God,  unless  he  could  also  be 
equal  to  him.   If  apostacy,  which  consists  in  revolting  from 
the  government  of  the  Creator,  and  petulantly  rejecting  his 
authority,  be  a  base  and  execrable  crime,  it  is  a  vain  attempt 
to  extenuate  the  sin  of  Adam.  Though  the  transgression  of 
our   first   parents  was   not   simple   apostacy;  they  were    also 
guilty  of  vile  reproaches    against  God,  in  consenting  to  the 
calumnies  of  Satan,  who  accused  God  of  falsehood,  envy, 

(a)  Roro,  v.l  9 


262  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

malignity.  Finally,  infidelity  opened  the  gate  to  ambition, 
and  ambition  produced  obstinacy,  so  that  they  cast  off  the  fear 
of  God,  and  precipitated  themselves  whithersoever  they  were 
led  by  their  lawless  desires.  With  propriety  therefore,  Ber- 
nard teaches  that  the  gate  of  salvation  is  open  to  us,  when  in 
the  present  day  we  receive  the  Gospel  with  our  ears,  as  death 
was  once  admitted  at  the  same  doors  when  they  lay  open  to 
Satan.  For  Adam  had  never  dared  to  resist  the  authority  of 
God,  if  he  had  not  discredited  his  word.  This  was  certainly 
the  best  check  for  a  due  regulation  of  all  the  affections,  that  the 
chief  good  consists  in  the  practice  of  righteousness  in  obedi 
ence  to  the  commands  of  God;  and  that  the  ultimate  end  of 
a  happy  life  is  to  be  beloved  by  him.  Being  sedueed  there- 
fore by  the  blasphemies  of  the  devil,  he  did  all  that  was  in  his 
power  towards  a  total  annihilation  of  the  glory  of  God. 

V.  As  the  spiritual  life  of  Adam  consisted  in  a  union  to  his 
Maker,  so  an  alienation  from  him  was  the  death  of  his  soul. 
Nor  is  it  surprising  that  he  ruintd  his  posterity  by  his  defec- 
tion, which  has  perverted  the  whole  order  of  nature  in  heaven 
and  earth.  "  The  creatures  groan,"  says  Paul,  "  being  made 
subject  to  vanity,  not  willingly."  (?)  If  the  cause  be  inquired, 
il  is  undoubtedly  that  they  sustain  part  of  the  punishment 
due  to  the  demerits  of  man,  for  whose  use  they  were  created. 
And  his  guilt  being  the  origin  of  that  curse  which  extends 
to  every  part  of  the  world,  it  is  reasonable  to  conclude  its 
propagation  to  all  his  offspring.  Therefore  when  the  Divine 
image  in  him  was  obliterated,  and  he  was  punished  with  the 
loss  of  wisdom,  strength,  sanctity,  truth,  and  righteousness, 
with  which  he  had  been  adorned,  but  which  were  succeeded 
by  the  dreadful  pests  of  ignorance,  impotence,  impurity,  vanity, 
and  iniquity,  he  suffered  not  nlone,  but  involved  all  his  posterity 
with  him,  and  plunged  them  into  the  same  miseries.  This  is 
that  hereditary  corruption  which  the  fathers  called  original 
sin;  meaning  by  sin,  the  depravation  of  a  nature  previously 
good  and  pure.  On  which  subject  they  had  much  contention, 
nothing  being  more  remote  from  common  sense,  than  that  all 
should  be  criminated  on  account  of  the  guilt  of  one,  and  thus 
his  sin  become  common.  Which  seems  to  have  been  the  reason 

(0  Rom.  via.  20,  22. 


CHAP,  i.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  263 

why  the  most  ancient  doctors  of  the  Church  did  but  obscurely 
glance  at  this  point,  or  at  least  explained  it  with  less  perspi- 
cuity than  it  required.  Yet  this  timidity  could  not  prevent 
Pelagius  from  arising,  who  profanely  pretended,  that  the  sin 
of  Adam  only  ruined  himself,  and  did  not  injure  his  descendants. 
By  concealing  the  disease  with  this  delusion,  Satan  attempted 
to  render  it  incurable.  But  when  it  was  evinced  by  the  plain 
testimony  of  the  Scripture,  that  sin  was  communicated  from 
the  first  man  to  all  his  posterity,  he  sophistically  urged, 
that .it  wa§ communicated  by  imitation,  not  by  propagation. 
Therefore  good  men,  and  beyond  all  others  Augustine,  have 
laboured  to  demonstrate  that  we  are  not  corrupted  fey  any 
adventitious  means,  but  that  we  derive  an  innate  depravity 
from  our  very  birth.  The  denial  of  this  was  an  instance  of 
consummate  impudence.  But  the  temerity  of  the  Pelagians 
and  Celestians  will  not  appear  surprising  to  him  who  perceives 
from  the  writings  of  Augustine,  what  a  want  of  modesty  they 
discovered  in  every  thing  else.  There  is  certainly  no  ambiguity 
in  the  confession  of  David,  that  he  was  shapen  in  iniquity,  and 
in  sin  his  mother  conceived  him.  (u)  He  is  not  there  exposing 
the  sins  of  his  mother  or  of  his  father;  but  to  enhance  his 
commendations  of  the  Divine  goodness  towards  him,  he  com- 
mences the  confession  of  his  depravity  from  the  time  of  his 
conception.  As  it  is  evident  that  this  was  not  peculiar  to  David, 
it  is  fairly  concluded,  that  his  case  exemplifies  the  common 
condition  of  mankind.  Every  descendant  therefore  from  the 
impure  source,  is  born  infected  with  the  contagion  of  sin;  and 
even  before  we  behold  the  light  of  life,  we  are  in  the  sight 
of  God  defiled  and  polluted.  For  "  who  can  bring  a  clean 
thing  out  of  an  unclean?"  The  book  of  Job  tells  us,  "  Not 
one."  (tf) 

VI.  We  have  heard  that  the  impurity  of  the  parents  is  so 
transmitted  to  the  children,  that  all,  without  a  single  excep- 
tion, are  polluted  as  soon  as  they  exist.  But  we  shall  not  find 
the  origin  of  this  pollution,  unless  we  ascend  to  the  first  parent 
of  us  all,  as  to  the  fountain  which  sends  forth  all  the  streams. 
Thus  it  is  certain  that  Adam  was  not  only  the  progenitor,  but 
as  it  were  the  root  of  mankind,  and  therefore  that  all  the  rac>: 

(?0  Psalm  li.  5.  (w)  Job  xiV.  4. 


364.  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  {BOOK  n 

were  necessarily  vitiated  in  his  corruption.  The  Apostle  ex- 
plains this  by  a  comparison  between  him  and  Christ:  "  As," 
says  he,  u  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death 
by  sin;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have 
sinned:"  (_v)  so  by  the  grace  of  Christ,  righteousness  and  life 
have  been  restored  to  us.  What  cavil  will  the  Pelagians 
raise  here?  That  the  sin  of  Adam  was  propagated  by  imita- 
tion? Do  we  then  receive  no  other  advantage  from  the  righ- 
teousness of  Christ,  than  the  proposal  of  an  example  for  our 
imitation?  Who  can  bear  such  blasphemy?  But  if  it  cannot 
be  controverted  that  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  ours  by 
communication,  and  life  as  its  consequence;  it  is  equally  evi- 
dent that  both  were  lost  in  Adam,  in  the  same  manner  in 
which  they  were  recovered  in  Christ,  and  that  sin  and  death 
were  introduced  by  Adam,  in  the  same  manner  in  which  they 
are  abolished  by  Christ.  There  is  no  obscurity  in  the  declara- 
tion, that  many  are  made  righteous  by  the  obedience  of 
Christ,  (jf)  as  they  had  been  made  sinners  by  the  disobedience 
of  Adam.  And  therefore  between  these  two  persons  there  is 
this  relation,  that  the  one  ruined  us  by  involving  us  in  his 
destruction,  the  other  by  his  grace  has  restored  us  to  salva- 
tion. Any  more  prolix  or  tedious  proof  of  a  truth  supported 
by  such  clear  evidence  must,  I  think,  be  unnecessary.  Thus 
also  in  the  first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  with  a  view  to 
confirm  the  pious  in  a  confidence  of  the  resurrection,  he  shew^. 
that  the  life  which  had  been  lost  in  Adam,  was  recovered  in 
Christ.  (2)  He,  who  pronounces  that  we  were  all  dead  in 
Adam,  does  also  at  the  same  time  plainly  declare,  that  \vt; 
were  implicated  in  the  guilt  of  his  sin.  For  no  condemnation 
could  reach  those  who  were  perfectly  clear  from  all  charge  ot 
iniquity.  But  his  meaning  cannot  be  better  understood  than 
from  the  relation  of  the  other  member  of  the  sentence,  where 
he  informs  us  that  the  hope  of  life  is  restored  in  Christ.  But 
that  is  well  known  to  be  accomplished,  only  when  Christ,  by 
a  wonderful  communication,  transfuses  into  us  the  virtue  of 
his  righteousness:  as  it  is  elsewhere  said,  "The  Spirit  is  life, 
because  of  righteousness."  (a)  No  other  explanation  therefore 

(x)  Rom.  v.  12.  O)  Rom-  v-  19' 

(3)  1  Cor.  xv.  22.  00  R<>m-  >'»*• 10- 


CHAP.  i.J  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  265 

can  be  given  of  our  being  said  to  be  dead  in  Adam,  than  that 
his  transgression  not  only  procured  misery  and  ruin  for  him- 
self, but  also  precipitated  our  nature  into  similar  destruction. 
And  that  not  by  his  personal  guilt  as  an  individual,  which 
pertains  not  to  us,  but  because  he  infected  all  his  descendants 
with  the  corruption  into  which  he  had  fallen.  Otherwise  there 
would  be  no  truth  in  the  assertion  of  Paul,  that  all  are  by 
nature  children  of  wrath,  (£)  if  they  had  not  been  already  under 
the  curse  even  before  their  birth.  Now  it  is  easily  inferred 
that  our  nature  is  there  characterised,  not  as  it  was  created  by 
God,  but  as  it  was  vitiated  in  Adam:  because  it  would  be 
unreasonable  to  make  God  the  author  of  death.  Adam  there- 
fore corrunigd  himself  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  contagion 

if  i    •  111-  rr*  A         i 

IKIS  been  communicated  from  him  to  all  his  offspring.  And 
Christ  himself,  the  heavenly  Judge,  declares,  in  the  most  un- 
equivocal terms,  that  all  are  born  in  a  state  of  pravity  and 
corruption,  when  he  teaches,  that  "  whatsoever  is  born  of  the 
flesh  is  flesh,"  (c)  and  that  therefore  the  gate  of  life  is  closed 
against  all  who  have  not  been  regenerated. 

VII.  Nor,  to  enable  us  to  understand  this  subject,  have  we  any 
need  to  enter  on  that  tedious  dispute,  with  which  the  Father ; 
were  not  a  little  perplexed,  whether  the  soul  .of  a  son  proceeds 
by  derivation  or  transmission  from  the  soul  of  the  father,  be- 
cause the  soul  is  the  principal  seat  of  the  pollution.  We 
ought  to  be  satisfied  with  this,  that  the  Lord  deposited  with 
Adam  the  endowments  he  chose  to  confer  on  the  human 
nature;  and  therefore  that  when  he  lost  the  favours  he  had 
received,  he  lost  them  not  only  for  himself,  but  for  us  all. 
Who  will  be  solicitous  about  a  transmission  of  the  soul,  when 
he  hears  that  Adam  received  the  ornaments  that  he  lost,  no 
less  for  us  than  for  himself?  that  they  were  given,  not  to  one 
man  only,  but  to  the  whole  human  nature?  There  is  nothing 
absurd  therefore,  if  in  consequence  of  his  being  spoiled  of  his 
dignities,  that  nature  be  destitute  and  poor;  if  in  consequence 
of  his  being  polluted  with  sin,  the  whole  nature  be  infected 
with  the  contagion.  From  a  putrefied  root  therefore  have 
sprung  putrid  branches,  which  have  transmitted  their  putre- 

(6)  Ephcs.  ii.  3.  (c)  John  iii.  5,  6. 

VOL.  I.  2  L 


266  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

j>cence  to  remoter  ramifications.  For  the  children  were  so 
vitiated  in  their  parent,  that  triey  became  contagious  to  their 
descendants:  there  was  in  Adam  such  a  spring  of  corruption, 
that  it  is  transfused  from  parents  to  children  in  a  perpetual 
stream.  But  the  cause  of  the  contagion  is  not  in  the  substance 
of  the  body  or  of  the  soul;  but  because  it  was  ordamed_by 
God,  that  the  gifts  which  he  conferred  on  the  first  man  should 

_  •    +          i  O 

by  him  be  preserved  or  lost  both  for  himself  and  for  all  his 
posterity.  But  the  cavil  of  the  Pelagians,  that  it  is  improbable 
that  children  should  derive  corruption  from  pious  parents, 
whereas  they  ought  rather  to  be  sanctified  by  their  purity,  is 
easily  refuted.  For  triey  descend  from  their  carnal  generation, 
not  from  their  spiritual  generation.  Therefore,  as  Augustine 
says,  "  Neither  the  guilty  unbeliever,  nor  the  justified  believer, 
generates  innocent,  but  guilty  children;  because  the  generation 
of  both  is  from  corrupted  nature."  If  they  in  some  measure 
participate  of  the  sanctity  of  their  parents,  that  is  the  peculiar 
benediction  of  the  people  of  God,  which  supersedes  not  the 
first  and  universal  curse  previously  denounced  on  the  human 
nature.  For  their  guilt  is  from  nature,  but  their  sanctification 
from  supernatural  grace. 

VIII.  To  remove  all  uncertainty  and  misunderstanding  on 
this  subject,  kt  us  define  original  sin.  It  is  not  my  intention 
to  discuss  all  the  definitions  given  by  writers;  I  shall  only 
produce  one  which  I  think  perfectly  consistent  with  the  truth. 
[Original  sin  therefore  appears  to  be  an  hereditary  pravity  and 
corruption  of  our  nature,  diffused  through  all  the  parts  of  the 
soul:  rendering  us  obnoxious  to  the  Divine  wrath,  and  pro- 
ducing in  us  those  works  which  the  Scripture  calls  "  works  of 
the  flesh^j^)  And  this  is  indeed  what  Paul  frequently  denomi- 
nates sin.  The  works  which  proceed  thence,  such  as  adulteries, 
fornications,  thefts,  hatreds,  murders,  revellings,  he  calls  in  the 
same  manner  "fruits  of  sin;"  although  they  are  also  called 
"sins"  in  many  passages  of  Scripture,  and  even  by  himself. 
These  two  things  therefore  should  be  distinctly  observed:  first, 
that  our  nature  being  so  totally  vitiated  and  depraved,  we  are 
•>n  account  of  this  very  Corruption,  considered  as  convicted  and 

r;al.  v.  19. 


CHAP.  i.J  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  i>6? 

justly  condemned  in  the  sight  of  God,  to  whom  nothing  is 
acceptable  but  righteousness,  innocence,  and  purity.  And  this 
liableness  to  punishment  arises  not  from  the  delinquency  of 
another:  for  when  it  is  said  that  the  sin  of  Adam  renders  us 
obnoxious  to  the  Divine  judgment,  it  is  not  to  be  understood 
as  if  we,  though  innocent,  were  undeservedly  loaded  with  the 
guilt  of  his  sin;  but  because  we  are  all  subject  to  a  curse,  in 
consequence  of  his  transgression,  he  is  therefore  said  to  have 
involved  us  in  guilt.  Nevertheless  we  derive  from  him,  nut 
onlv  the  punishment,  but  also  the  pollution  to  which  the 

mi  fntmm-f — — — j^amfm^s^^m—^zxa^^-.       •••!  -^TrTOTr)Mmfimrir^L*^— ^E->ytT^^tf^rrM^lMItrJ^B«ai 

punishment  is  justly  due.  Wherefore  Augustine,  though  he 
Frequently  calls  it  the  sin  of  another,  the  more  clearly  to  indicate 
its  transmission  to  us  by  propagation;  yet  at  the  same  time 
he  also  asserts  it  properly  to  belong  to  every  individual.  And 
the  Apostle  himself  expressly  declares,  that  "  death  has  there- 
fore passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned,"  (e}  that  is, 
have  been  involved  in  original  sin,  and  defiled  with  its  ble- 
mishes. /And  therefore  infants  themselves,  as  they  bring  their 
condemnation  into  the  world  with  them,  are  rendered  obnoxious 
to  punishment  by  their  own  sinfulness,  not  by  the  sinfulness 
of  another.  For  though  they  have  not  yet  produced  the  fruits 
of  their  iniquity,  yet  they  have  the  seed  of  it  within  them; 
even  their  whole  nature  is  as  it  were  a  seed  of  sin,  and  there- 
fore cannot  but  be  odious  and  abominable  to  God. -Whence 
it  follows,  that  it  is  properly  accounted  sin  in  the  sight  of  God, 
because  there  could  be  no  guilt  without  crime.  The  other 
thing  to  be  remarked  is,  that  this  depravity  never  ceases  in  us, 
but  is  perpetually  producing  new  fruits,  those  works  of  the 
flesh,  which  we  have  before  described,  like  the  emission  of 
flame  and  sparks  from  a  heated  furnace;  or  like  the  streams  of 
water  from  a  never-failing  spring.  Wherefore  those  who  have 
defined  original  sin  as  a  privation  of  the  original  righteous- 
ness, which  we  ought  to  possess,  though  they  comprise  the 
whole  of  the  subject,  yet  have  not  used  language  sufficiently 
expressive  of  its  operation  and  influence.  For  our  nature  is 
not  only  destitute  of  all  good,  but  is  so  fertile  in  all  evils  that 
it  cannot  remain  inactive.  Those  who  have  called  it  concn- 

(f)  Rom.  v.  12. 


268  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

pisccncc,  have  used  an  expression  not  improper,  if  it  were  only 
added,  which  is  far  from  being  conceded  by  most  persons,  that 
(.very  thing  in  man,  the  understanding  and  will,  the  soul  and 
body,  is  polluted  and  engrossed  by  this  concupiscence;  or,  to 
express  it  more  briefly,  that  man  is  of  himself  nothing  else 
but  concupiscence. 

IX.  Wherefore  I  have  asserted  that  sin  has  possessed  all  the 
powers  of  the  soul,  since  Adam  departed  from  the  fountain  of 
righteousness.  For  man  has  not  only  been  ensnared  by  the 
inferior  appetites,  but  abominable  impiety  has  seized  the  very 
citadel  of  his  mind,  and  pride  has  penetrated  into  the  inmost 
recesses  of  his  heart.  So  that  it  is  weak  and  foolish  to  restrict 
the  corruption  which  has  proceeded  thence,  to  what  are  called 
the  sensual  affections,  or  to  call  it  an  incentive  which  allures, 
excites,  and  attracts  to  sin,  only  what  they  style,  the  sensual 
part.  In  which  the  grossest  ignorance  has  been  discovered  by 
Peter  Lombard,  who  when  investigating  the  seat  of  it,  says, 
that  it  is  in  the  flesh,  according  to  the  testimony  of  Paul,  (y) 
not  indeed  exclusively,  but  because  it  principally  appears  in 
the  flesh.  As  though  Paul  designated  only  a  part  of  the  soul, 
and  not  the  whole  of  our  nature,  which  is  opposed  to  super- 
natural grace.  Now  Paul  removes  every  doubt  by  informing 
us  that  the  corruption  resides  not  in  one  part  only,  but  that 
there  is  nothing  pure  and  uncontaminated  by  its  mortal  infec- 
tion. For  when  arguing  respecting  corrupt  nature,  he  not 
only  condemns  the  inordinate  motions  of  the  appetites,  but 
principally  insists  on  the  blindness  of  the  mind,  and  the  de- 
pravity of  the  heart:  (£•)  and  the  third  chapter  of  his  Epistle 
to  the  Romans  is  nothing  but  a  description  of  original  sin. 
This  appears  more  evident  from  our  renovation.  For  "the 
Spirit,"  which  is  opposed  to  "  the  old  man"  and  "  the  flesh,"  not 
only  denotes  the  grace,  which  corrects  the  inferior  or  sensual 
part  of  the  soul,  but  comprehends  a  complete  reformation  of  all 
its  powers.  And  therefore  Paul  not  only  enjoins  us  to  mortify 
our  sensual  appetites,  but  exhorts  us  to  be  renewed  in  the 
spirit  of  our  mind;  (A)  and  in  another  place  he  directs  us  to 
be  transformed  by  the  renewing  of  our  mind,  (z)  Whence  it 

(/)  Rom.  vii.  18.  (  g)  Ephes.  iv.  17,  18. 

(A)  Ephes.  iv.  23.  (i)  Rom.  xii.  2. 


CHAP,  i.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  269 

follows,  that  that  part,  which  principally  displays  the  excellence 
and  dignity  of  the  soul,  is  not  only  wounded,  but  so  corrupted, 
that  it  requires  not  merely  to  be  healed,  but  to  receive  a  new- 
nature.  How  far  sin  occupies  both  the  mind  and  the  heart, 
we  shall  presently  see.  My  intention  here  was  only  to  hint,  in 
a  brief  way,  that  man  is  so  totally  overwhelmed,  as  with  a  de- 

j    r  ^^***Jug^^***r*'3*-*v**^*ll**^***»**WW«|^BiWWBB**MiiOM«^^^W'  . 

luge,  that  no  part  is  free^frpm  sin;  and  therefore  that  whatever 
proceeds  from  him  is  accounted  sin:  as  Paul  says  that  all  the 
affections  or  thoughts  of  the  flesh,  or  the  carnal  mind,  is  enmity 
against  God,  and  therefore  death.  (>£) 

X.  Now  let  us  dismiss  those,  who  dare  to  charge  God  with 
their  corruptions,  because  we  say  that  men  are  naturally  cor- 
rupt. They  err  in  seeking  for  the  work  of  God  in  their  own 
pollution,  whereas  they  should   rather  seek  it   in  the  nature  of 
Adam   while    yet  innocent    and_uncorruptcd.  Our  perdition 
therefore  proceeds  from  the  sinfulness  of  our  flesh,  not  from 
God;  it  being  only  a  consequence  of  our  degenerating  from 
our  primitive  condition.  And   let  no  one  murmur  that  God 
might  have  made  a  better  provision  for  our  safety,  by  prevent- 
ing  the  fall  of   Adam.  For  such    an  objection    ought  to  be 
abominated,  as  too  presumptuously  curious,  by  all  pious  minds, 
and  it  also  belongs  to  the  mystery  j)f  predestination,  which 
shall  afterwards  be  treated  in  its  proper  place.  Wherefore  let 
us  remember,  that  our  fall  must  be  imputed  to  a  corruption  of 
nature,  that  we  may  not  bring  an  accusation  against  God  him- 
self, the  Author  of  nature.  That  this  fatal  wound  is  inherent 
in  our  nature,  is  indeed  a  truth;  but  it  is  an  important  ques- 
tion   whether  it  was  in    it  originally,  or   was  derived    from 
any  extraneous  -cause.  But  it  is  evident  that  it  was  occasioned 
by  sin.  We  have  therefore  no  reason  to  complain,  but  of  our- 
selves; which  in  the  Scripture  is  distinctly  remarked.  For  the 
Preacher  says,  "  This  only  have  I  found,  that  God  hath  made 
men  upright;  but  they  have  sought  out  many  inventions."  (/) 
It  is  clear  that  the  misery  of  man  must  be  ascribed  solely  to 
himself,  since  he  was  favoured  with  rectitude  by  the  Divine 
goodness,  but  has  lapsed  into  vanity  through  his  own  folly. 

XI.  We  say  therefore  that  man  is  corrupted  by  a  natural 

(*)  Rom.  viii.  6,  7.  (/)  Eccles.  vii.  29. 


270  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

depravity,  but  which  did  not  originate  from  nature.  We  deny 
that  it  proceeded  from  nature,  to  signify  that  it  is  rather  an 
adventitious  quality  or  accident,  than  a  substantial  property 
originally  innate.  Yet  we  call  it  natural,  that  no  one  may 
suppose  it  to  be  contracted  by  every  individual  from  corrupt 
habit,  whereas  it  prevails  over  all  by  hereditary  right.  Nor 
is  this  representation  of  ours  without  authority.  For  the  same 
reason  the  Apostle  says,  that  we  are  all  by  nature  the  children 
of  wrath,  (m)  How  could  God,  who  is  pleased  with  all  his 
meanest  works,  be  angry  with  the  noblest  of  all  his  creatures? 
But  he  is  angry  rather  with  the  corruption  of  his  work,  than 
with  his  work  itself.  Therefore,  if  on  account  of  the  corrup- 
tion of  human  nature,  man  be  justly  said  to  be  naturally 
abominable  to  God,  he  may  also  be  truly  said  to  be  naturally 
depraved  and  corrupt:  as  Augustine,  in  consequence  of  the 
corruption  of  nature,  hesitates  not  to  call  those  sins  natural, 
which  necessarily  predominate  in  our  flesh,  where  they  are  not 
prevented  by  the  grace  of  God.  Thus  vanishes  the  foolish 
and  nugatory  system  of  the  Manicheans,  who,  having  imagined 
in  man  a  substantial  wickedness,  presumed  to  invent  for  him  a 
new  creator,  that  they  might  not  appear  to  assign  the  cause 
and  origin  of  evil  to  a  righteous  God. 


wvwvvw\ 


CHAPTER  II. 

Man  in  his  present  State  despoiled  of  Freedom  of  Witt,  and 
subjected  to  a  miserable  Slavery. 

SlNCE  we  have  seen  that  the  domination  of  sin,  from  the 
time  of  its  subjugation  of  the  first  man,  not  only  extends  over 
the  whole  race,  but  also  exclusively  possesses  ever}'  soul;  it 
now  remains  to  be  more  closely  investigated,  whether  we_are 
despoiled  of  all  freedom,  and,  if  any  particle  of  it  yet  remain, 
how  far  its  power  extends.  But  that  we  may  the  more  easily 
•lisrover  the  truth  of  this  question,  I  will  first  set  up  by  the 

(in}  Ephes.  ii.  5. 


CHAP,  ii.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  271 

way  a  mark,  by  which  our  whole  course  must  be  regulated. 
The  best  method  of  guarding  against  error  is  to  consider  the 
dangers  which  threaten  us  on  every  side.  For  when  man  is 
declared  to  be  destitute  of  all  rectitude,  he  immediately  makes 
it  an  occasion  of  slothfulness;  and  because  he  is  said  to  have 
no  power  of  himself  for  the  pursuit  of  righteousness,  he  totally 
neglects  it,  as  though  it  did  not  at  all  concern  him.  On  the 
other  hand,  he  cannot  arrogate  any  thing  to  himself,  be  it  ever 
so  little,  without  God  being  robbed  of  his  honour,  and  himself 
being  endangered  by  presumptuous  temerity.  Therefore  to 
avoid  striking  on  either  of  these  rocks,  this  will  be  the  course 
to  be  pursued;  [That  man  being  taught  that  he  has  nothing 
good  left  in  his  possession,  and  being  surrounded  on  every 
side  with  the  most  miserable  necessity,  should  nevertheless  be 
instructed  to  aspire  to  the  good  of  which  he  is  destitute,  and  to 
the  liberty  of  which  he  is  deprived;  and  should  be  roused 
from  indolence  with  more  earnestness,  than  if  he  were  sup- 
posed to  be  possessed  of  the  greatest  strengtRT/The  necessity 
of  the  latter  is  obvious  to  every  one.  The  former,  I  perceive, 
is  doubted  by  more  than  it  ought  to  be.  For  this  being  placed 
beyond  all  controversy,  that  man  must  not  be  deprived  of  any 
thing  that  properly  belongs  to  him,  it  ought  also  to  be  mani- 
fest how  important  it  is  that  he  should  be  prevented  from 
false  boasting.  For  if  he  was  not  even  then  permitted  to 
glory  in  himself,  when  by  the  Divine  beneficence  he  was  de- 
corated with  the  noblest  ornaments,  how  much  ought  he  now 
to  be  humbled,  when  on  account  of  his  ingratitude  he  has  been 
hurled  from  the  summit  of  glory  to  the  abyss  of  ignominy? 
At  that  time,  I  say,  when  he  was  exalted  to  the  most  honour- 
able eminence,  the  Scripture  attributes  nothing  to  him,  but 
that  he  was  created  after  the  image  of  God;  which  certainly 
implies  that  IMS  happiness  consisted  not  in  any  goodness  of  his 
nwpfc  but  in  a  participation  of  God.  What  then  remains  for 
him  now,  deprived  of  all  glory,  but  that  he  acknowledge  God, 
to  whose  beneficence  he  could  not  be  thankful,  when  hr 
abounded  in  the  riches  of  his  favour?  and  that  he  now  at  least 
by  a  confession  of  his  poverty  glorify  him,  whom  he  glorified 
not  by  an  acknowledgment  of  his  blessings?  It  is  also  no  less 
conducive  to  our  interest  than  to  the  Divine  glory,  that  all 


INSTITUTES  OF  Till  [BOOK  u. 

iht'  praise  of  wisdom  and  strength  be  taken  away  from  us;  so 
that  they  join  sacrilege  to  our  fall,  who  ascribe  to  us  any  thing 
more  than  truly  belongs  to  us.  For  Avhat  else  is  the  conse- 
quence, when  we  are  taught  to  contend  in  our  own  strength, 
but  that  we  are  lifted  into  the  air  on  a  reed,  which  being  soon 
broken,  we  fall  to  the  ground.  Though  our  strength  is  placed 
in  too  favourable  a  point  of  view,  when  it  is  compared  to  a  reed. 
For  it  is  nothing  but  smoke,  whatever  vain  men  have  imagined 
and  pretend  concerning  it.  Wherefore  it  is  not  without  rea- 
son, that  that  remarkable  sentence  is  so  frequent!}-  repeated  by 
Augustine,  that  free  will  is  rather  overthrown  than  established 
even  by  its  own  advocates.  It  was  necessary  to  premise  these 
things  for  the  sake  of  some  who,  when  they  hear  that  humui: 
power  is  .  iy  subverted  in  order  tbnt  the  power  of  Got! 

may  i  ishecl  in  man,  inveteratclv  hate  this  whole  argu- 

ment, as  dangerous  and  unprofitable:  which  yet  appears  to  be 
highly  useful  to  us,  and  essential  to  true  religion. 

II.  As  we  have  just  before  said  that  the  faculties  of  the 
soul  consist  in  the  mind  and  the  heart,  let  us  now  consider  the 
ability  of  each.  The  philosophers  indeed  with  general  consent, 
pretend,  that  in  the  mind  presides  Reason,  which  like  a  lamp 
illuminates  with  its  counsels,  and  like  a  queen  governs  the 
will:  for  that  it  is  so  irradiated  with  Divine  light  as  to  be  able 
to  give  the  best  counsels,  and  endued  with  such  vigour  as  to  be 
qualified  to  govern  in  the  most  excellent  manner:  that  Sense, 
on  the  contrary,  is  torpid  and  afflicted  with  weakness  of  sight, 
so  that  it  always  creeps  on  the  ground,  and  is  absorbed  in  the 
grossest  objects,  nor  ever  elevates  itself  to  a  view  of  the  truth: 
that  Appetite,  if  it  can  submit  to  the  obedience  of  reason,  and 
resist  the  attractions  of  sense,  is  inclined  to  the  practice  of 
virtues,  travels  the  path  of  rectitude,  and  is  formed  into  will; 
but  that  if  it  be  devoted  to  the  servitude  of  sense,  it  is  thereby 
so  corrupted  and  depraved  as  to  degenerate  into  lust.  And 
as  according  to  their  opinion  there  reside  in  the  soul  those 
facultit-s  which  I  have  before  mentioned,  understanding,  sense, 
and  appetite,  or  will,  which  appellation  is  now  more  commonly 
used;  they  ass.  rt  that  the  understanding  is  endued  with  reason, 
that  most  excellent  guide  to  a  good  and  a  happy  life,  pro- 
vided it  only  maintains  itself  in  its  own  excellence,  and  exerts 


CHAP,  n.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  273 

its  innate  power.  But  that  the  inferior  affection  of  the  soul, 
which  is  called  sense,  and  by  which  it  is  seduced  into  error,  is 
of  such  a  nature  that  it  may  be  tamed  and  gradually  con- 
quered by  the  rod  of  reason.  They  place  the  will  in  the  middle 
station  between  reason  and  sense,  as  perfectly  at  liberty,  whe- 
ther it  chooses  to  obey  reason,  or  to  submit  to  the  violence  of 
sense. 

III.  Sometimes  indeed,  being  convinced  by  the  testimony  of 
experience,  they  admit  how  extremely  difficult  it  is  for  a  man 
to  establish  within  him  the  kingdom  of  reason;  while  he  is 
exposed  at  one  time  to  the  solicitations  of  alluring  plea- 
sures, at  another  to  the  delusions  of  pretended  blessings, 
and  at  others  to  the  violent  agitations  of  immoderate 
passions,  compared  by  Plato  to  so  many  cords  dragging  him 
in  various  directions.  For  which  reason  Cicero  says,  that 
the  sparks  kindled  by  nature  are  soon  extinguished  by  corrupt 
opinions  and  evil  manners.  But  when  such  maladies  have 
once  taken  possession  of  the  human  mind,  they  acknowledge 
their  progress  to  be  too  violent  to  be  easily  restrained:  nor  do 
they  hesitate  to  compare  them  to  fierce  horses,  who  having 
rejected  reason,  like  horses  that  have  thrown  off  the  charioteer, 
indulge  themselves  in  every  extravagance,  without  the  least 
restraint.  But  they  consider  it  as  beyond  all  controversy,  that 
virtue  and  vice  are  in  our  own  power:  for  if  it  be  at  our  elec- 
tion, they  say,  to  do  this  or  that,  therefore  it  must  also  be,  to 
abstain  from  doing  it.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  if  we  are  free- 
to  abstain  from  it,  we  must  also  be  free  to  do  it.  But  we  ap- 
pear freely  and  voluntarily  to  do  those  things  which  we  do, 
and  to  abstain  from  those  things  from  which  we  abstain; 
therefore  if  we  do  any  good  action,  when  we  please  we  may 
omit  it;  if  we  perpetrate  any  evil,  that  also  we  may  avoid. 
Moreover,  some  of  them  have  advanced  to  such  a  degree  of 
presumption,  as  to  boast,  that  we  are  indebted  to  the  gods  for 
our  life,  but  for  a  virtuous  and  religious  one  to  ourselves: 
whence  also  that  assertion  of  Cicero,  in  the  person  of  Cotta, 
that,  since  every  man  acquires  virtue  for  himself,  none  of  the 
wise  men  have  ever  thanked  God  for  it.  "  For,"  says  he,  "  we 
are  praised  for  virtue,  and  in  virtue  we  glory;  which  would 
not  be  the  case,  if  it  were  a  gift  of  God,  and  did  not  originate 

VOL.  I.  2  M 


£74  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

from  ourselves."  And  a  little  after,  "This  is  the  judgment  of 
all  men,  that  fortune  must  be  asked  of  God,  but  that  wisdom 
must  be  derived  from  ourselves."  This  then  is  the  substance 
of  the  opinion  of  all  the  philosophers,  that  the  reason  of  the 
human  understanding  is  sufficient  for  its  proper  government; 
that  the  will,  being  subject  to  it,  is  indeed  solicited  by  sense 
to  evil  objects,  but,  as  it  has  a  free  choice,  there  can  be  no 
impediment  to  its  following  reason  as  its  guide  in  all  things. 

IV.  Among  the  ecclesiastical  writers,  though  there  has  not 
been  one,  who  would  not  acknowledge  both  that  human  reason 
is  grievously  wounded  by  sin,  and  that  the  will  is  very  much 
embarrassed  by  corrupt  aifections,  yet  many  of  them  have 
followed  the  philosophers  far  beyond  what  is  right.  The  early 
Fathers  appear  to  me  to  have  thus  extolled  human  power 
from  a  fear  lest  if  they  openly  confessed  its  impotence,  they 
might  in  the  first  place  incur  the  derision  of  the  philoso- 
phers, with  whom  they  were  then  contending;  and  in  the 
next  place,  might  administer  to  the  flesh,  of  itself  naturally 
too  torpid  to  all  that  is  good,  a  fresh  occasion  of  slothfulness. 
To  avoid  delivering  any  principle  deemed  absurd  in  the  com- 
mon opinion  of  mankind,  they  made  it  their  study  therefore  to 
compromise  between  the  doctrine  of  the  scripture  and  the 
dogmas  of  the  philosophers.  Yet  it  appears  from  their  language, 
that  they  principally  regarded  the  latter  consideration;  that 
they  might  leave  no  room  for  slothfulness.  Chrysostom  says, 
"  Since  God  hath  placed  good  and  ev  il  things  in  our  power, 
he  hath  given  us  freedom  of  choice;  and  he  constrains  not  the 
unwilling,  but  embraces  the  willing."  Again:  "  Oftentimes  a 
bad  man,  if  he  will,  is  changed  into  a  good  one;  and  a  good  one 
falls  into  inactivity,  and  becomes  bad:  because  God  hath  given 
us  naturally  a  free  will;  and  imposes  no  necessity  upon  us,  but 
having  provided  suitable  remedies,  permits  the  event  to  depend 
entirely  on  the  mind  of  the  patient."  Again:  "  As  without  the 
assistance  of  Divine  grace  we  can  never  do  any  thing  aright,  so 
unless  we  bring  what  is  our  own,  we  shall  never  be  able  to  gain 
the  favour  of  heaven."  He  had  before  said,  "  That  it  ma}-  not 
be  entirely  of  the  Divine  assistance,  it  behoves  us  also  to  bring 
something."  And  this  is  an  expression  very  familiar  Avith 
him:  "Let  us  bring  uh:n  '^  >mv.  Mod  will  supply  the  rest." 


CHAP,  ii.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  275 

Agreeably  to  which  Jerome  says,  "  That  it  belongs  to  us  to 
begin,  and  to  God  to  complete;  that  it  is  our's  to  offer  what 
we  can,  but  his  to  supply  our  deficiencies."  In  these  sen- 
tences you  see  they  certainly  attributed  to  man  .more  than 
could  justly  be  attributed  to  him  towards  the  pursuit  of  virtue; 
because  they  supposed  it  impossible  to  awaken  our  innate 
torpor,  otherwise  than  by  arguing  that  this  alone  constitutes 
our  guilt:  but  with  what  great  dexterity  they  did  it,  we  shall  see 
in  the  course  of  our  work.  That  the  passages  which  we  have 
recited  are  exceedingly  erroneous,  will  shortly  be  proved.  Al- 
though the  Greeks  beyond  all  others,  and  among  them  parti- 
cularly Chrysostom,  have  exceeded  all  bounds  in  extolling  the 
ability  of  the  human  will,  yet  such  are  the  variations,  fluctua- 
tions, or  obscurities  of  all  the  fathers,  except  Augustine,  on  this 

'  .  -  -   •    • }  *    •  <5  7 

subject,  that  scarcely  any  thing  certain  can  be  concluded  from 
their  writings.  Therefore  we  shall  not  scrupulously  enumerate 
the  particular  opinions  of  them  all,  but  shall  at  times  select  from 
one  and  another  so  much  as  the  explication  of  the  argument 
shall  appear  to  require.  Succeeding  writers  being  every  one 
for  himself  ambitious  of  the  praise  of  subtlety  in  the  defence  of 
human  nature,  gradually  and  successively  fell  into  opinions 
more  and  more  erroneous;  till  at  length  man  was  commonly 
supposed  to  be  corrupted  only  in  his  sensual  part,  but  to  have 
his  will  in  a  great  measure,  and  his  reason  entirely,  unimpaired. 
In  the  mean  time,  it  was  proclaimed  by  every  tongue,  that  the 
natural  talents  in  men  were  corrupted,  but  the  supernatural 
taken  away:  an  expression  of  Augustine,  of  the  import  of 
which  scarcely  one  man  in  a  hundred  had  the  slightest  idea. 
For  myself,  if  I  meant  clearly  to  state  wherein  the  corruption 
of  nature  consists,  I  could  easily  content  myself  with  this 
language.  But  it  is  of  great  importance,  to  examine  with 
attention  what  ability  is  retained  by  man  in  his  present: 
state,  corrupted  in  all  the  parts  of  his  nature,  and  de- 
prived of  supernatural  gifts.  This  subject  therefore  has 
been  treated  in  too  philosophical  a  manner  by  those  who 
gloried  in  being  the  disciples  of  Christ.  For  the  Latins 
have  always  retained  the  term  free-will,  as  though  man  still 
remained  in  his  primitive  integrity.  And  the  Greeks  have  not 
been  ashamed  to  use  an  expression  much  more  arrogant;  for 


INSTITUTES  OF  Till.  [BOOK  n. 


they  called  it  xvTtlur,*,,  denoting  that  man  possesses  sovereign 
power  over  himself.  Since  all  men  therefore,  even  the  vulgar, 
ire  tinctured  with  this  principle,  that  man  is  endued  with 
free  will,  and  some  of  those  who  would  be  thought  intelli- 
gent know  not  how  far  this  freedom  extends:  let  us  first 
examine  the  meaning  of  the  term,  and  then  let  us  describe, 
according  to  the  simplicity  of  the  Scripture,  the  power  which 
man  naturally  possesses  to  do  either  good  or  evil.  What  free 
tyzV/is,  though  the  expression  frequently  occurs  in  all  writers,  few 
have  defined.  /Vet  Origen  appears  to  have  advanced  a  posi- 
tion to  which  they  all  assented,  when  he  calls  it  a  power  of 
reason  to  discern  good  and  evil,  of  ivill  to  choose  either.  Nor 
does  Augustine  differ  from  him,  when  he  teaches  that  it  is  a 
power  of  reason  and  will,  by  which  good  is  chosen  when  grace 
assists;  and  evil,  when  grace  is  wanting.jBernard,  while  he 
affects  greater  subtlety,  has  expressed  himself  with  more  ob- 
scurity: he  says,  it  is  a  consent  on  account  of  the  liberty  of 
\vill,  which  cannot  be  lost,  and  the  judgment  of  reason,  which 
cannot  be  avoided.  The  definition  of  Anselm  is  not  suffi- 
ciently plain,  who  states  it  to  be  a  power  of  preserving  recti- 
tude for  its  own  sake.  Therefore  Peter  Lombard  and  the 
schoolmen  have  rather  adopted  the  definition  of  Augustine, 
because  it  was  more  explicit,  and  did  not  exclude  the  grace 
of  God,  without  which  they  perceived  that  the  will  had  no 
power  of  itself.  But  they  also  make  such  additions  of  their 
own,  as  they  conceived  to  be  either  better,  or  conducive  to 
further  explication.  First,  they  agree  that  the  word  arbttrhim, 
tvill  or  choice,  should  rather  be  referred  to  reason,  whose  office 
It  is  to  discern  between  good  and  evil;  and  that  the  epithet 
free  belongs  properly  to  the  faculty  of  the  will,  which  is  capable 
of  being  inclined  to  either.  Wherefore,  since  liberty  belongs 
properly  to  the  will,  Thomas  Aquinas  says,  that  it  would 
be  a  very  good  definition,  if  free  will  were  called  an  elective 
power,  which  being  composed  of  understanding  and  appetite, 
inclines  rather  to  appetite.  We  see  where  they  represent  the 
power  of  free  will  to  be  placed,  that  is,  in  the  reason  and  will. 
It  now  remains  briefly  to  inquire  how  much  they  attribute 
respectively  to  each. 

V.  Common  and  external  things,  which  do  not  pertain  to 


CHAP,  ii.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  2?7 

the  kingdom  of  God,  they  generally  consider  as  subject  to  the 
free  determination  of  man;  but  true  righteousness  they  refer 
to  the  special  grace  of  God  and  spiritual  regeneration.  With 
a  view  to  support  this  notion,  the  author  of  the  treatise,  "  On 
the  Vocation  of  the  Gentiles,"  enumerates  three  kinds  of  will; 
the  first  a  sensitive,  the  second  an  animal,  and  the  third  a 
spiritual  one:  the  two  former  of  which  he  states  to  be  freely 
exercised  by  us,  and  the  last  to  be  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  us.  The  truth  or  falsehood  of  this  shall  be  discussed  in 
the  proper  place;  for  my  design  at  present  is  briefly  to  recite 
the  opinions  of  others,  not  to  refute  them.  Hence,  when 
writers  treat  of  free  will,  their  first  inquiry  respects  not  its 
ability  in  civil  or  external  actions,  but  its  power  to  obey  the 
Divine  law.  Though  I  confess  the  latter  to  be  the  principal 
question,  yet  I  think  the  other  ought  not  to  be  wholly  ne- 
glected; and  for  this  opinion  I  hope  to  give  a  very  good  reason. 
But  a  distinction  has  prevailed  in  the  schools,  which  enumerates 
three  kinds  of  liberty;  the  first,  freedom  from  necessity,  the 
second,  freedom  from  sin,  the  third,  freedom  from  misery: 
of  which  the  first  is  naturally  inherent  in  man,  so  that  nothing 
can  ever  deprive  him  of  it;  the  other  two  are  lost  by  sin. 
This  distinction  I  readily  admit,  except  that  it  improperly 
confounds  necessity  with  co-action.  And  the  wide  difference 
between  these  thmgs,  with  the  necessity  of  its  being  con- 
sidered, will  appear  in  another  place. 

VI.  This  being  admitted  will  place  it  beyond  all  doubt, 
that  man  is  not  possessed  of  free  will  for  good  works,  unless 
he  be  assisted  by  grace,  and  that  special  grace  which  is  bestowed 
on  the  elect  alone  in  regeneration.  For  I  stop  not  to  notice 
those  fanatics,  who  pretend  that  grace  is  offered  equally  and 
promiscuously  to  all.  But  it  does  not  yet  appear,  whether  he 
is  altogether  deprived  of  power  to  do  good,  or  whether  he 
yet  possesses  some  power,  though  small  and  feeble;  which  of 
itself  can  do  nothing,  but  by  the  assistance  of  grace  does  also 
perform  its  part.  Lombard,  in  order  to  establish  this  notion, 
informs  us  that  two  sorts  of  grace  are  necessary  to  qualify  us 
for  the  performance  of  good  works.  One  he  calls  operative, 
by  which  we  efficaciously  will  what  is  good;  the  other  co-opera- 
tive, which  attends  as  auxiliary  to  a  good  will.  This  division 


278  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

t  dislike,  because,  while  he  attributes  an  efficacious  desire  of 
what  is  good  to  the  grace  of  God,  he  insinuates  that  man  has 
of  his  own  nature  antecedent,  though  ineffectual,  desires  after 
what  is  good:  as  Bernard  asserts  that  a  good  will  is  the  work 
of  God,  but  yet  allows  that  man  is  self-impelled  to  desire  such 
a  good  will.  But  this  is  very  remote  from  the  moaning  of 
Augustine,  from  whom  however  Lombard  would  be  thought 
to  have  borrowed  this  division.  The  second  part  of  it  offends 
me  by  its  ambiguity,  which  has  produced  a  very  erroneous 
interpretation.  For  they  have  supposed  that  we  co-operate 
with  the  second  sort  of  Divine  grace,  because  we  have  it  in 
our  power  either  to  frustrate  the  first  sort  by  rejecting  it,  or 
to  confirm  it  by  our  obedience  to  it.  The  author  of  the  trea- 
tise "  On  the  Vocation  of  the  Gentiles"  expresses  it  thus,  that 
those  who  have  the  use  of  reason  and  judgment  are  at  liberty 
to  depart  from  grace,  that  they  may  be  rewarded  for  not 
having  departed,  and  that  what  is  impossible  without  the 
co-operation  of  the  Spirit,  may  be  imputed  to  their  merits,  by 
whose  will  it  might  have  beCn  prevented.  These  two  things 
I  have  thought  proper  to  notice  as  I  proceed,  that  the  reader 
may  perceive  how  much  I  dissent  from  the  sounder  schoolmen. 
For  I  differ  considerable  more  from  the  later  sophists,  as  they 
have  departed  much  farther  from  the  judgment  of  antiquity. 
However,  we  understand  from  this  division,  in  what  sense  they 
have  ascribed  free  will  to  man.  For  Lombard  at  length  pro- 
nounces, that  we  are  not  therefore  possessed  of  free  will,  be- 
cause we  have  an  equal  power  to  do  or  to  think  either  good  or 
evil,  but  only  because  we  are  free  from  constraint.  And  this 
liberty  is  not  diminished,  although  we  are  corrupt  and  the 
slaves  of  sin,  and  capable  of  doing  nothing  but  sin. 

VII.  Then  mini  v.'ill  he  sn.icl  to  possess  free  will  in  this  s. 
not  that  he  has^^n  equally  free  election  of  good  and  evil,  but 
because  lie  does  evil  voluntarily  and  not  by  constraint.  That 
indeed  is  very  true;  but  what  end  could  it  answer  to  decorate 
a  thing  so  diminutive  with  a  title  so  superb?  Egregious  libert)' 
indeed,  if  man  be  not  compelled  to  serve  sin,  but  yet  is  such 
a  willing  slave,  that  his  will  is  held  in  bondage  by  the  fetters 
of  sin.  I  really  abominate  contentions  about  words,  which 
disturb  the  Church  without  producing  anv  pood  effect:  but  I 


CHAP,  ii.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

think  that  we  ought  religiously  to  avoid  words  which  signify 
any  absurdity,  particularly  when  they  lead  to  a  pernicious 
error.  How  few  are  there,  pray,  who,  when  they  hear  free 
will  attributed  to  man,  do  not  immediately  conceive,  that  he 
has  the  sovereignty  over  his  own  mind  and  will,  and  is  able 
by  his  innate  power  to  incline  himself  to  whatever  he  pleases? 
But  it  will  be  said,  all  danger  from  these  expressions  will  be 
removed,  if  the  people  are  carefully  apprised  of  their  significa- 
tion. But  on  the  contrary,  the  human  mind  is  naturally  so 
prone  to  falsehood,  that  it  will  sooner  imbibe  error  from  one  ^ 
single  expression,  than  truth  from  a  prolix  oration:  of  which 
we  have  a  more  certain  experiment  than  could  be  wished  in 
this  very  word.  For  neglecting  that  explanation  of  the  fathers, 
almost  all  their  successors  have  been  drawn  into  a  fatal  self- 
confidence,  by  adhering  to  the  original  and  proper  signification 
of  the  word. 

VIII.  But  if  we  regard  the  authority  of  the  fathers:  though 
they  have  the  term  continually  in  their  mouths,  they  at  the 
same  time  declare  with  what  extent  of  signification  they  use 
it.  First  of  all,  Augustine,  who  hesitates  not  to  call  the  will  a 
slave.  He  expresses  his  displeasure  in  one  place  against  those 
who  deny  free  will:  but  he  declares  the  principal  reason  for 
it,  when  he  says,  "  Only  let  no  man  dare  so  to  deny  the  free- 
dom of  the  will,  as  to  desire  to  excuse  sin."  Elsewhere  he 
plainly  confesses,  that  the  human  will  is  not  free  without  the 
Spirit,  since  it  is  subject  to  its  lusts  by  which  it  is  conquered 
and  bound.  Again,  that  when  the  will  was  overcome  by  the 
sin  into  which  it  fell,  nature  began  to  be  destitute  of  liberty. 
Again,  that  man  having  made  a  wrong  use  of  his  free  will,  lost 
both  it  and  himself.  Again,  that  free  will  is  in  a  state  of 
captivity,  so  that  it  can  do  nothing  towards  righteousness. 
Again,  that  the  will  cannot  be  free,  which  has  not  been 
liberated  by  Divine  grace.  Again,  that  the  Divine  justice  is 
not  fulfilled,  while  the  law  commands,  and  man  acts  from  his 
own  strength,  but  when  the  Spirit  assists,  and  the  human  will 
obeys,  not  as  being  free,  but  as  liberated  by  God.  And  he 
briefly  assigns  the  cause  01*  all  this,  \v^en,*Tn~ano\Ker  place,  he 
tells  us,  that  man  at  his  creation  received  great  strength  of  free 
will,  but  lost  it  by  sin.  Therefore,  having  shewn  that  free  will 


-280  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

is  the  result  of  grace,  he  sharply  inveighs  against  those  who 
arrogate  it  to  themselves  without  grace.  "  How  then,"  says 
he,  "  do  miserable  men  dare  to  be  proud  of  free  will,  before 
they  are  liberated,  or  of  their  own  strength,  if  they  have  been 
liberated?"  Nor  do  they  consider  that  the  term  free  will  sig- 
nifies liberty.  But  "  where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is,  there  is 
liberty."  (n)  If  therefore  they  are  the  slaves  of  sin,  why  do  they 
boast  of  free  will?  "  For  of  whom  a  man  is  overcome,  of  the 
same  is  he  brought  in  bondage."  (0)  But  if  they  have  been 
liberated,  why  do  they  boast  as  of  their  own  work?  Are  they 
so  much  at  liberty  as  to  refuse  to  be  the  servants  of  him  who 
says,  "  Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing?"  (^)  Besides,  in 
another  place  also,  he  seems  to  discountenance  the  use  of  that 
expression,  when  he  says  that  the  will  is  free,  but  not  liberated; 
free  from  righteousness,  enslaved  to  sin.  This  sentiment  he 
also  repeats  and  applies  in  another  place,  where  he  maintains 
that  man  is  not  free  from  righteousness  but  by  the  choice  of 
his  will,  and  that  he  is  not  made  free  from  sin,  but  by  the 
grace  of  the  Saviour.  He,  who  declares  that  human  liberty 
is  nothing  but  an  emancipation  or  manumission  from  righ- 
teousness, evidently  exposes  it  to  ridicule  as  an  unmeaning 
term.  Therefore  if  any  man  allows  himself  the  use  of  this 
term  without  any  erroneous  signification,  he  will  not  be  troubled 
by  me  on  that  account:  but  because  I  think  that  it  cannot  be 
retained  without  great  danger,  and  that  on  the  contrary  its 
abolition  would  be  very  beneficial  to  the  Church;  I  would 
neither  use  it  myself,  nor  wish  it  to  be  used  by  others  who  may 
consult  my  opinion. 

IX.  Perhaps  I  may  be  thought  to  have  raised  a  great  pre- 
judice against  myself,  by  confessing  that  all  the  ecclesiastical 
writers,  except  Augustine,  have  treated  this  subject  with  such 
ambiguities  or  variations,  that  nothing  certain  can  be  learned 
from  their  writings.  For  some  will  interpret  this,  as  though  I 
intended  to  deprive  them  of  the  right  of  giving  their  suffrages, 
because  their  opinions  are  all  adverse  to  mine.  But  I  have 
had  no  other  object  in  view  than  simply  and  faithfully  to  con- 
sultthc  benefit  of  pious  minds,  who,  if  they  wait  to  discover  the 

.     C'ir.  iii.  !-.  (o)  2  Peter  ii.  19.  (/>)  John  xv.  5. 


CHAP,  ii.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  281 

sentiments  of  the  fathers  on  this  subject,  will  fluctuate  in  per- 
petual  uncertainty.  At  one  time  they  teach  man,  despoiled 
of  all  strength  of  free  will,  to  have  recourse  to  grace  alone; 
at  another,  they  either  furnish,  or  appear  to  furnish  him  with 
armour  naturally  his  own.  Yet  that  amidst  all  this  ambiguity 
of  expression,  esteeming  the  strength  of  man  as  little  or  nothing, 
they  have  ascribed  the  praise  of  every  thing  that  is  good  en- 
tirely to  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  not  difficult  to  prove,  if  I  intro- 
duce some  passages  from  them,  in  which  this  sentiment  is 
clearly  maintained.  For  what  is  the  meaning  of  that  assertion 
of  Cyprian,  so  frequently  celebrated  by  Augustine,  "  That  | 
we  ought  to  glory  in  nothing,  because  we  have  nothing  of 
our  own,"  unless  man,  completely  impoverished  in  himself, 
learns  to  depend  entirely  on  God?  What  is  the  meaning 
of  that  observation  of  Augustine  and  Eucherius,  when  they 
represent  Christ  as  the  tree  of  life,  to  whom  whosoever  shall 
have  stretched  forth  his  hand  shall  live;  and  free  will  as  the 
tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  and  say  that  whosoever 
forsakes  the  grace  of  God  and  tastes  of  it  shall  die?  What  is 
the  meaning  of  that  assertion  of  Chrysostom,  that  every  man 
by  nature  is  not  only  a  sinner,  but  altogether  sin?  If  we 
have  not  one  good  quality,  if  from  his  head  to  his  feet  man 
be  entirely  sin,  if  it  be  wrong  even  to  try  how  far  the  power  of 
the  will  extends;  how  then  can  it  be  right  to  divide  the  praise 
of  a  good  work  between  God  and  man?  I  could  introduce 
many  such  passages  from  other  fathers;  but  lest  any  one 
should  cavil,  that  I  select  only  those  things  which  favour  my 
own  cause,  but  artfully  omit  those  which  oppose  it,  I  refrain 
from  such  a  recital.  I  venture  to  affirm,  however,  that  though 
they  sometimes  too  highly  extol  free  will,  yet  their  design  was 
to  teach  man  to  discard  all  reliance  on  his  own  power,  and  to 
consider  all  his  strength  as  residing  in  God  alone.  I  now  pro- 
ceed to  a  simple  explication  of  the  truth  in  considering  the 
nature  of  man. 

X.  But  I  am  obliged  to  repeat  here,  what  I  premised  in 
the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  that  he  who  feels  the  most  con- 
sternation, from  a  consciousness  of  his  own  calamity,  poverty, 
nakedness,  and  ignominy,  has  made  the  greatest  proficiency  in 
the  knowledge  of  himself.  For  there  is  no  danger  that  maji 

VOL.  I.  2  N 


2-82  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

will  divest  himself  of  too  much,  provided  he  learns  that  what 
is  wanting  in  him  may  be  recovered  in  God.  But  he  cannot 
.'ssume  to  himself  even  the  least  particle  beyond  his  just  right, 
without  ruining  himself  with  vain  confidence,  and  incurring 
the  guilt  of  enormous  sacrilege,  by  transferring  to  himself  the 
honour  which  belongs  to  God.  And  whenever  our  minds  are 
pestered  with  this  cupidity,  to  desire  to  have  something  of  our 
own,  which  may  reside  in  ourselves  rather  than  in  God,  we  may 
know  that  this  idea  is  suggested  by  the  same  counsellor,  who 
excited  in  our  first  parents  the  desire  of  resembling  ltgods, 
knowing  good  and  evil."  (y)  If  that  term  be  diabolical,  which 
exalts  man  in  his  own  opinion,  let  us  not  admit  it,  unless  we 
wish  to  take  the  counsel  of  an  enemy.  It  is  pleasant  indeed  to 
have  so  much  innate  strength  as  to  confide  in  and  be  satisfied 
with  ourselves.  But  from  being  allured  into  this  vain  confidence, 
let  us  be  deterred  by  the  many  awful  sentences  which  severely 
humble  us  to  the  dust.  Such  as,  "  Cursed  be  the  man  that 
trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh  flesh  his  arms."  (r)  Again:  "  God 
delighteth  not  in  the  strength  of  the  horse:  he  taketh  not 
pleasure  in  the  leg's  of  a  man.  The  Lord  taketh  pleasure  in 
them  that  fear  him,  in  those  that  hope  in  his  mercy."  (s) 
Again:  "  He  giveth  power  to  the  faint;  and  to  them  that 
have  no  might  he  increaseth  strength.  Even  the  youths  shall 
faint  and  be  weary,  and  the  young  men  shall  utterly  faU:  but 
they  that  wait  upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength."  (?) 
The  tendency  of  all  which  is  to  prevent  us  from  depending, 
in  the  smallest  degree,  on  our  own  strength,  if  we  wish  God 
to  be  propitious  to  us,  who  "  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth 
.grace  unto  the  humble."  (v)  Then  let  us  remember  these  pro- 
mises: "  I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods 
upon  the  dry  ground."  (rt»)  Again:  "  Ho!  every  one  that 
thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters."  (.v)  Which  declare,  that 
none  are  admitted  to  a  participation  of  the  blessings  of  God, 
but  those  who  are  famishing  with  a  sense  of  their  own  poverty. 
Nor  should  such  promises  as  this  of  Isaiah  be  overlooked.; 
"  The  sun  shall  be  no  more  thy  light  by  day;  neither  for 

(?)  Gen.  iii.  5.  (r)  Jer.  xvii.  5.  (s )  Psalm  cxlvii.  10. 

(0  Isaiah  xl.  29—  31.      (t>)  James  iv.  6.  (w)  Isaiah  xliv.  ^ 

fx)  Isaiah  Iv.  1. 


CHAP,  ii.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  283 

brightness  shall  the  moon  give  light  unto  thee:  but  the  Lord 
shall  be  unto  thee  an  everlasting  light."  (y)  The  Lord  certainly 
does  not  deprive  his  servants  of  the  splendour  of  the  sun  or  of 
the  moon;  but  because  he  will  appear  exclusively  glorious  in 
them,  he  calls  off  their  confidence  to  a  great  distance,  even 
from  those  things  which  in  their  opinion  are  the  most  excel- 
lent. 

XI.  I  have  always  indeed  been  exceedingly  pleased  with 
this  observation  of  Chrysostom,  that  humility  is  the  foundation 
of  our  philosophy;  but  still  more  with  this  of  Augustine:  "  As 
a  rhetorician,"  says  he,  "  on  being  interrogated  what  was  the 
first  thing  in  the  rules  of  eloquence,  replied,  '  Pronunciation;' 
and  on  being  separately  interrogated  what  was  the  second, 
and  what  was  the  third,  gave  the  same  reply;  so  should  any 
one  interrogate  me  concerning  the  rules  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion, the  first,  second,  and  third,  I  would  always  reply,  Humi- 
lity." Now  he  does  not  consider  it  as  humility,  when  a  man,  con- 
scious to  himself  of  some  little  power,  abstains  from  pride  and 
haughtiness;  but  when  he  truly  feels  his  condition  to  be  such 
that  he  has  no  refuge  but  in  humility,  as  he  elsewhere  declares. 
"  Let  no  man,"  says  he,  "  flatter  himself:  of  himself  he  is  a 
devil:  every  blessing  he  enjoys  is  only  from  God.  For  what 
have  you  that  is  your  own,  but  sin?  Remove  from  yourself 
sin,  which  is  yours;  for  righteousness  belongs  to  God."  Again: 
"  Why  do  men  so  presume  on  the  possibility  of  nature?  It  is 
wounded,  maimed,  distressed,  and  ruined.  It  needs  a  true 
confession,  not  a  false  defence."  Again:  "When  every  one 
knows,  that  in  himself  he  is  nothing,  and  that  he  cannot  assist 
himself:  the  arms  are  broken  within  him,  and  the  contentions 
are  subsided."  But  it  is  necessary  that  all  the  weapons  of  im- 
piety should  be  broken  in  pieces  and  consumed,  that  you  may 
remain  unarmed,  and  have  no  help  in  yourself.  The  greater  your 
weakness  is  in  yourself,  so  much  the  more  the  Lord  assists  you. 
So  in  the  seventieth  Psalm  he  forbids  us  to  remember  our  own 
righteousness,  that  we  may  know  the  righteousness  of  God; 
and  shews,  that  God  so  recommends  his  grace  to  us,  that  we 
may  know  that  we  are  nothing,  and  are  solely  dependent  on 

C  y)  Isaiah  Ix.  19. 


284  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  u. 

the  dirine  mercy,  being  of  ourselves  altogether  evil.  Here 
then  let  us  not  contend  with  God  concerning  our  right,  as 
though  what  is  attributed  to  him  were  deducted  from  us. 
For  as  our  humility  is  his  exaltation;  so  the  confession  of  our 
humility  has  an  immediate  remedy  in  his  commiseration.  Now 
I  do  not  expect  that  a  man  unconvinced  should  voluntarily 
submit,  and,  if  he  has  any  strength,  withdraw  his  attention 
from  it  to  be  reduced  to  true  humility;  but  I  require,  that,  dis- 
carding the  malady  of  self-love  and  love  of  victory,  which  blinds 
him,  and  leads  him  to  entertain  too  high  an  opinion  of  himself, 
he  should  seriously  contemplate  himself  in  the  faithful  mirror 
of  the  Scripture. 

XII.  And  indeed  I  much  approve  of  that  common  observa- 
tion which  has  been  borrowed  from  Augustine,  that  the  natural 
talents  in  man  have  been  corrupted  by  sin,  but  that  of  the 
supernatural  ones  he  has  been  wholly  deprived.  For  by  the 
latter  are  intended,  both  the  light  of  faith  and  righteousness, 
which  would  be  sufficient  for  the  attainment  of  a  heavenly  life 
and  eternal  felicity.  Therefore,  when  he  revolted  from  the 
divine  government,  he  was  at  the  same  time  deprived  of  those 
supernatural  endowments,  which  had  been  given  him  for  the 
hope  of  eternal  salvation.  Hence  it  follows,  that  he  is  exiled 
from  the  kingdom  of  God,  in  such  a  manner,  that  all  the 
affections  relating  to  the  happy  life  of  the  soul,  are  also  extin- 
guished in  him,  till  he  recovers  them  by  the  grace  of  regenera- 
tion. Such  are  faith,  love  to  God,  charity  towards  our  neigh- 
bours, and  an  attachment  to  holiness  and  righteousness.  All  these 
things,  being  restored  by  Christ,  are  esteemed  adventitious  and 
preternatural;  and  therefore  we  conclude  that  they  had  been 
lost.  Again,  soundness  of  mind  and  rectitude  of  heart  were 
also  destroyed;  and  this  is  the  corruption  of  the  natural  talents. 
For  although  we  retain  some  portion  of  understanding  and 
judgment  together  with  the  will,  yet  we  cannot  say  that  our 
mind  is  perfect  and  sound,  which  is  oppressed  with  debility 
and  immersed  in  profound  darkness;  and  the  depravity  of  our 
will  is  sufficiently  known.  Reason,  therefore,  by  which  man 
distinguishes  between  good  and  evil,  by  which  he  understands 
and  judges,  being  a  natural  talent,  it  could  not  be  totally  de- 
stroyed, but  is  partly  debilitated,  partly  vitiated,  so  that  it 


CHAF.  ii.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  285 

exhibits  nothing  but  deformity  and  ruin.  In  this  sense  John 
says,  that  "  the  light"  still  "  shineth  in  darkness,"  but  that 
"  the  darkness  comprehends  it  not."  (z)  In  this  passage  both 
these  ideas  are  clearly  expressed;  that  some  sparks  continue 
to  shine  in  the  nature  of  man,  even  in  its  corrupt  and  degene- 
rate state,  which  prove  him  to  be  a  rational  creature,  and 
different  from  the  brutes,  because  he  is  endued  with  under- 
standing; and  yet  that  this  light  is  smothered  by  so  much 
ignorance,  that  it  cannot  act  with  any  degree  of  efficacy.  So 
the  will,  being  inseparable  from  the  nature  of  man,  is  not 
annihilated;  but  it  is  fettered  by  depraved  and  inordinate  de- 
sires, so  that  it  cannot  aspire  after  any  thing  that  is  good. 
This  indeed  is  a  complete  definition,  but  requires  more 
diffuse  explication.  Therefore,  that  the  order  of  our  discourse 
may  proceed  according  to  the  distinction  we  have  stated,  ia 
which  we  divided  the  soul  into  understanding  and  will,  let  us 
first  examine  the  power  of  the  understanding.  To  condemn  it 
to  perpetual  blindness,  so  as  to  leave  it  no  intelligence  in  any 
thing,  is  repugnant,  not  only  to  the  Divine  word,  but  also  to 
the  experience  of  common  sense.  For  we  perceive  in  the  mind 
of  man  some  desire  of  investigating  truth,  towards  which  he 
would  have  no  inclination,  but  from  some  relish  of  it  previously 
possessed.  It  therefore  indicates  some  perspicuity  in  the 
human  understanding,  that  it  is  attracted  with  a  love  of  truth; 
the  neglect  of  which  in  the  brutes  argues  gross  sense  without 
reason:  although  this  desire,  small  as  it  is,  faints  even  before 
its  entrance  on  its  course;  because  it  immediately  terminates  in 
vanity.  For  the  dulness  of  the  human  mind  renders  it  incapable 
of  pursuing  the  right  way  of  investigating  the  truth;  it  wanders 
through  a  variety  of  errors,  and  groping,  as  it  were,  in  the 
shades  of  darkness,  often  stumbles,  till  at  length  it  is  lost  in 
its  wanderings:  thus  in  its  search  after  truth,  it  betrays  its 
incapacity  to  seek  and  find  it.  It  also  labours  under  an- 
other grievous  malady,  frequently  not  discerning  what  those 
things  are,  the  true  knowledge  of  which  it  would  be  proper 
to  attain,  and  therefore  torments  itself  with  a  ridiculous  curi- 
osity in  fruitless  and  unimportant  inquiries.  To  things  most 

(2)  John  i.  5. 


J8ti  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  u. 

necessary  to  be  known  it  either  never  adverts,  or  contemptu- 
ously and  rarely  digresses;  but  scarcely  ever  studies  them  with 
serious  application.  This  depravity  being  a  common  subject 
of  complaint  with  heathen  writers,  all  men  are  clearly  proved 
to  have  been  implicated  in  it.  Wherefore  Solomon,  in  his 
Ecclesiastes,  after  having  enumerated  those  pursuits  in  which 
men  consider  themselves  as  displaying  superior  wisdom,  con- 
cludes with  pronouncing  them  to  be  vain  and  frivolous. 

XIII.  Yet  its  attempts  are  not  always  so  fruitless,  but  that 
it  makes  some  discoveries,  particularly  when  it  applies  itself  to 
inferior  things.  Nor  is  it  so  stupid,  as  to  be  without  some  slender 
notion  also  of  superior  ones,  however  negligently  it  attends  to 
the  investigation  of  them;  but  it  possesses  not  an  equal  ability 
for  both.  For  it  is  when  it  goes  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
present  life,  that  it  is  chiefly  convinced  of  its  own  imbecility. 
Wherefore,  that  we  may  better  perceive  how  far  it  pro- 
ceeds in  every  case  according  to  the  degrees  of  its  ability, 
it  will  be  useful  for  us  to  propose  the  following  distinction: 
that  there  is  one  understanding  for  terrestrial  things,  and 
another  for  celestial  ones.  I  call  those  things  terrestrial 
which  do  not  pertain  to  God  and  his  kingdom,  to  true  righ- 
teousness, or  to  the  blessedness  of  a  future  life;  but  which  relate 
entirely  to  the  present  life,  and  are  in  some  sense  confined 
within  the  limits  of  it.  Celestial  things  are  the  pure  know- 
ledge of  God,  the  method  of  true  righteousness,  and  the 
mysteries  of  the  heavenly  kingdom.  In  the  first  class  are 
included  civil  polity,  domestic  economy,  all  the  mechanical 
arts  and  liberal  sciences.  In  the  second,  the  knowledge  of  God 
and  of  the  Divine  will,  and  the  rule  for  conformity  to  it  in  our 
lives.  Now  in  regard  to  the  first  class,  it  must  be  confessed, 
that  as  man  is  naturally  a  creature  inclined  to  society,  he  has 
also  by  nature  an  instinctive  propensity  to  cherish  and  pre- 
serve that  society;  and  therefore  we  perceive  in  the  minds  of 
all  men  general  impressions  of  civil  probity  and  order.  Hence 
it  is  that  not  a  person  can  be  found  who  does  not  understand, 
that  all  associations  of  men  ought  to  be  governed  by  laws,  or 
who  does  not  conceive  in  his  mind  the  principles  of  those  laws. 
Hence  that}  perpetual  consent  of  all  nations,  as  well  as  all  in- 
dividuals, to  the  laws,  because  the  seeds  of  them  are  innate  in 


ii.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  287 

all  mankind,  without  any  instructor  or  legislator.  I  regard  not 
the  dissensions  and  contests  which  afterwards  arise,  while  some 
desire  to  invert  all  justice  and  propriety,  to  break  down  the 
barriers  of  the  laws,  and  to  substitute  mere  cupidity  in  the  room 
of  justice,  as  is  the  case  with  thieves  and  robbers.  Others, 
which  is  a  fault  more  common,  think  that  unjust  which  legis- 
lators have  sanctioned  as  just;  and  on  the  contrary  pronounce 
that  to  be  laudable,  which  they  have  forbidden.  For  the  former 
of  these  hate  not  the  laws  from  an  ignorance  that  they  are  good 
and  sacred;  but,  inflamed  with  the  violence  of  their  passions, 
manifestly  contend  against  reason,  and  under  the  influence  of 
their  lawless  desires,  execrate  that  which  their  judgments  ap- 
prove. The  controversy  of  the  latter  of  these  is  by  no  means 
repugnant  to  that  original  idea  of  equity  which  we  have  men- 
tioned; for  when  men  dispute  with  each  other  on  the  com- 
parative merits  of  different  laws,  it  implies  their  consent  to 
some  general  rule  of  equity.  This  clearly  argues  the  debility 
of  the  human  mind,  which  halts  and  staggers  even  when  it 
appears  to  follow  the  right  way.  Yet  it  is  certainly  true,  that 
some  seeds  of  political  order  are  sown  in  the  minds  of  all. 
And  this  is  a  powerful  argument,  that  in  the  constitution  oi 
this  life  no  man  is  destitute  of  the  light  of  reason. 

XIV.  Next  follow  the  arts,  both  liberal  and  manual;  to  learn- 
ing which,  as  there  is  in  all  of  us  a  certain  aptitude,  they  also 
discover  the  strength  of  human  ingenuity.  But  though  all  men 
are  not  capable  of  learning  every  art,  yet  it  is  a  very  sufficient 
proof  of  the  common  energy,  that  scarcely  an  individual  can 
be  found,  whose  sagacity  does  not  exert  itself  in  some  parti- 
cular art.  Nor  have  they  an  energy  and  facility  only  in  learning, 
but  also  in  inventing  something  new  in  every  art,  or  in  am- 
plifying and  improving  what  they  have  learned  from  their 
predecessors.  Though  this  excited  Plato  erroneously  to  assert 
that  such  an  apprehension  is  only  a  recollection  of  what  the 
soul  knew  in  its  pre-existent  state  before  it  came  into  the  body, 
it  constrains  us,  by  the  most  cogent  reasons,  to  acknowledge 
that  the  principle  of  it  is  innate  in  the  human  mind.  These 
instances  therefore  plainly  prove,  that  men  are  endued  with  a 
general  apprehension  of  reason  and  understanding.  Yet  it  is 
such  a  universal  blessing,  that  every  one  for  himself  ought  to 


288  INSTITUTES  OF  T1IK  [BOOK  li. 

acknowledge  it  as  the  peculiar  favour  of  God.  To  this  grati- 
tude the  Author  of  nature  himself  abundantly  excites  us,  by  his 
creation  of  idiots,  in  whom  he  represents  the  state  of  the  human 
soul,  without  his  illumination,  which,  though  natural"  to  all,  is 
nevertheless  a  gratuitous  gift  of  his  beneficence  towards  every 
individual.  But  the  invention  and  methodical  teaching  of  these 
arts,  and  the  more  intimate  and  excellent  knowledge  of  them, 
which  is  peculiar  to  a  few,  is  no  solid  argument  of  general 
perspicacity;  yet  belonging  to  both  the  pious  and  the  impious, 
they  are  justly  numbered  among  the  natural  talents. 

XV.  Whenever,  therefore,  we  meet  with  heathen  writers, 
let  us  learn  from  that  light  of  truth  which  is  admirably  dis- 
played in  their  works,  that  the  human  mind,  fallen  as  it  is,  and 
corrupted  from  its  integrity,  is  yet  invested  and  adorned  by 
God  with  excellent  talents.  If  we  believe  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  the  only  fountain  of  truth,  we  shall  neither  reject  nor 
despise  the  truth  itself,  wherever  it  shall  appear,  unless  we 
wish  to  insult  the  Spirit  of  God:  for  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit 
cannot  be  undervalued  without  offering  contempt  and  reproach 
to  the  Spirit  himself.  Now  shall  we  deny  the  light  of  truth 
to  the  ancient  lawyers,  who  have  delivered  such  just  principles 
of  civil  order  and  polity?  Shall  we  say  that  the  philosophers 
were  blind  in  their  exquisite  contemplation  and  in  their  scien- 
tific description  of  nature?  Shall  we  say  that  those,  who  by  the 
art  of  logic  have  taught  us  to  speak  in  a  manner  consistent 
with  reason,  were  destitute  of  understanding  themselves? 
Shall  we  accuse  them  of  insanity,  who  by  the  study  of  medi- 
cine have  been  exercising  their  industry  for  our  advantage? 
What  shall  we  say  of  all  the  mathematics?  Shall  we  esteem 
them  the  delirious  ravings  of  madmen?  On  the  contrary, 
we  shall  not  be  able  even  to  read  the  writings  of  the  ancients 
on  these  subjects  without  great  admiration;  we  shall  admire 
them,  because  we  shall  be  constrained  to  acknowledge  them 
to  be  truly  excellent.  And  shall  we  esteem  any  thing  laud- 
able or  excellent,  which  we  do  not  recognise  as  proceed- 
ing from  God?  Let  us  then  be  ashamed  of  such  great  ingra- 
titude, which  was  not  to  be  charged  on  the  heathen  poets,  who 
confessed  that  philosophy  and  legislation,  and  all  useful  arts. 
were  the  inventions  of  their  gods.  Therefore,  since  it  appears 


CHAP,  ii.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  28$ 


that  those  whom  the  Scripture  styles  "natural  men," 
have  discovered  such  acuteness  and  perspicacity  in  the  investi- 
gation of  sublunary  things,  let  us  learn  from  such  examples, 
how  man^^good  qualities  the  Lord  hath  left  to  the  nature 
"i  man,  since  it  has  been  despoiled  of  what  is  truly^good.  , 

XVI.  Yet  let  us  not  forget  that  these  are  most  excellent 
gifts  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  which  for  the  common  benefit  o! 
mankind  he  dispenses  to  whomsoever  he  pleases.  For  ii'  it 
was  necessary  that  the  Spirit  of  God  should  infuse  into  Beza- 
leel  and  Aholiab  the  understanding  and  skill  requisite  foi 
•the  construction  of  the  tabernacle,  (ci)  we  need  not  wonder  it 
the  knowledge  of  those  things,  which  are  most  excellent  in 
human  life,  are  said  to  be  communicated  to  us  by  the  Spirit  ol 
God.  Nor  is  there  any  reason  for  inquiring,  What  intercourse 
with  the  Spirit  is  enjoyed  by  the  impious  who  are  entirely 
alienated  from  God?  For  when  the  Spirit  of  God  is  said  to 
dwell  only  in  the  faithful,  that  is  to  be  understood  of  the 
Spirit  of  sanctification,  by  whom  we  are  consecrated  as  temples 
to  God  himself.  Yet  it  is  equally  by  the  energy  of  the  same 
Spirit,  that  God  replenishes,  actuates,  and  quickens  all  crea- 
tures, and  that  according  to  the  property  of  each  species  whicli 
he  hath  given  it  by  the  law  of  creation.  Now  if  it  has  pleased 
the  Lord  that  we  should  be  assisted  in  physics,  logic,  mathe- 
matics, and  other  arts  and  sciences,  by  the  labour  and  ministry 
of  the  impious,  let  us  make  use  of  them;  lest  if  we  neglect 
to  use  the  blessings  therein  freely  offered  to  us  by  God,  we 
suffer  the  just  punishment  of  our  negligence.  But  lest  any 
one  should  suppose  a  man  to  be  truly  happy,  when  he  is  ad- 
mitted to  possess  such  powerful  energies  for  the  discovery  of 
truth  relating  to  the  elements  of  this  world;  it  must  likewise 
be  added,  that  all  that  faculty  of  understanding,  and  the  under- 
standing which  is  the  consequence  of  it,  is,  in  the  sight  of  God, 
a  fleeting  and  transitory  thing,  where  there  is  not  a  solid  foun- 
dation of  truth.  For  the  sentiment  of  Augustine,  with  whom, 
as  we  have  observed,  the  Master  of  the  Sentences  and  the 
Schoolmen  have  been  constrained  to  coincide,  is  strictly  true; 
that  as  the  gratuitous  or  supernatural  gifts  were  taken  awav 

(<i)  Exod,  xxxi.  2  —  11.  xxxv.  30—  S5-. 

VOL.  I.  20 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

from  man  after  the  fall,  so  these  natural  ones  which  remained 
have  been  corrupted;  not  that  they  can  be  defiled  in  them- 
rhts  as  proceeding  from  God,  but  because  they  have  ceased 
to  be  pure  to  polluted  man,  so  that  he  can  obtain  no  praise 
from  them. 

XVII.  Let  us  conclude  therefore,  that  it  is  evident  in  all 
mankind,  that  reason  is  a  peculiar  property  of  our  nature, 
which  distinguishes  us  from  the  brute  animals,  as  sense  con- 
stitutes the  difference  between  them  and  things  inanimate. 
For  whereas  some  are  bggn  Jftok _ jTOj^jdjpts.  that  defect  ob- 
scures not  the  general  goodness  of  God.  Such  a  spectacle 
should  rather  teach  us  that  what  we  retain  ought  justly  to  br 
ascribed  to  his  indulgence;  because  had  it  not  been  for  his 
mercy  to  us,  our  defection  would  have  been  followed  by  the 
total  destruction  of  our  nature.  But  whereas  some  excel  in 
penetration,  others  possess  superior  judgment,  and  others  have 
a  greater  aptitude  to  learn  this  or  that  art,  in  this  variety 
God  displays  his  goodness  to  us,  that  no  one  may  arrogate  to 
himself  as  his  own  what  proceeds  merely  from  the  divine 
liberality.  For  whence  is  it  that  one  is  more  excellent  than 
another,  unless  it  be  to  exalt  in  our  common  nature  the  special 
goodness  of  God,  which  in  the  preterition  of  many  proclaims 
that  it  is  under  an  obligation  to  none?  Moreover,  God  in- 
spires particular  motions  according  to  the  vocation  of  each 
individual:  of  which  many  examples  occur  in  the  book  of  the 
Judges,  where  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  said  to  "  come  upon'' 
those  whom  he  called  to  govern  the  people.  (£)  Finally,  in 
all  important  actions  there  is  a  special  instinct:  for  which 
reason  it  is  said  that  Saul  was  followed  by  valiant  men,  "  whose 
hearts  God  had  touched."  (c)  And  Samuel,  when  he  predicts 
his  inauguration  into  the  kingdom,  thus  expresses  himself; 
"  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  will  come  upon  thee,  and  thou  shah 
be  turned  into  another  man."  (W)  And  this  is  extended  to  the 
whole  course  of  his  government;  as  it  is  afterwards  narrated 
concerning-  David,  that  "  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon 
him  from  that  day  forward."  (e)  But  the  same  expression  is 
used  in  other  places  in  reference  to  particular  impulses.  Even 

0)  Judges  vi.  34.  xv  !•!  (c)  1  Sam.  x.  26. 

VI  1  Sam.  x.  6  ")  1  Sam.xvi.  13. 


CHAP,  ii.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  291 

in  Homer,  men  are  said  to  excel  in  abilities,  not  only  as  Jupiter 
has  distributed  to  every  one,  but  according  as  he  guides  him 
from  day  to  day.  And  experience  clearly  shews,  since  the 
most  ingenious  and  sagacious  of  mankind  frequently  standstill 
in  profound  astonishment,  that  the  minds  of  men  are  subject 
to  the  power  and  will  of  God  to  govern  them  every  moment: 
for  which  reason  it  is  said,  that  "  he  taketh  away  the  heart  o.t 
the  chief  people  of  the  earth,  and  causeth  them  to  wander  in 
a  wilderness  where  there  is  no  way."  (/")  Yet  in  this  diversity 
we  perceive  some  remaining  marks  of  the  divine  image,  which 
distinguish  the  human  race  in  general  from  all  the  other 
creatures. 

XVIII.  We  now  proceed  to  shew,  what  human  reason 
can  discover,  when  it  comes  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
to  that  spiritual  wisdom,  which  consists  chiefly  in  three  things: 
to  know  God,  his  paternal  favour  towards  us  on  which  depends 
our  salvation,  and  the  method  of  regulating  our  lives  according 
to  the  rule  of  the  law.  In  the  two  first  points,  but  especially 
in  the  second,  the  most  sagacious  of  mankind  are  blinder  than 
moles.  I  do  not  deny  that  some  judicious  and  apposite  obser- 
vations concerning  God  may  be  found  scattered  in  the  writings 
of  the  philosophers;  but  they  always  betray  a  confused  ima- 
gination. The  Lord  afforded  them  as  we  have  before  ob- 
served, some  slight  sense  of  his  Divinity,  that  they  might 
not  be  able  to  plead  ignorance  as  an  excuse  for  impiety,  and 
sometimes  impelled  them  to  utter  things,  by  the  confession 
of  which  they  might  themselves  be  convinced.  But  they  saw 
the  objects  presented  to  their  view  in  such  a  manner  that  by 
the  sight  they  were  not  even  directed  to  the  truth,  much  less 
did  they  arrive  at  it;  just  as  a  man,  who  is  travelling  by  night 
across  a  field,  sees  the  coruscations  of  lightning  extending  for  a 
moment  far  and  wide,  but  with  such  an  evanescent  view,  that  so 
far  from  being  assisted  by  them  in  proceeding  on  his  journey, 
he  is  re-absorbed  in  the  darkness  of  the  night  before  he  can 
advance  a  single  step.  Besides,  those  few  truths  with  which 
they  as  it  were  fortuitously  besprinkle  their  books,  with  what 
numerous  and  monstrous  falsehoods  are  they  defiled!  Lastly, 

(/)  Job  xii.  24.  Psalm  cvii.  40 


2'JL!  INSTITUTES  OF  THE 

they  never  had  the  smallest  idea  of  that  certainty  of  the  Divin. 
benevolence  towards  us,  without  which  the  human  understand- 
ing must  necessarily  be  full  of  immense  confusion.  Human 
reason  then  neither  approaches,  nor  tends,  nor  directs  its 
views  towards  this  truth,  to  understand  who  is  the  true  God, 
or  in  what  character  he  will  manifest  himself  to  us. 

XIX.  But  because,  from  our  being  intoxicated  with  a  false 
opinion  of  our  own  perspicacity,  we  do  not  without  great  diffi- 
culty suffer  ourselves  to  be  persuaded,  that  in  Divine  things 
our   reason  is    totally  blind  and    stupid;  it  will    be  better,  I 
think,  to  confirm  it  by  testimonies  of  Scripture,  than  to  sup- 
port it  by  arguments.  This  is  abundantly  taught  by  John,  in 
that  passage  which  I  lately  cited,  where  he  says  that  from  the 
beginning  "  in  God  was  life,    and  the  life  was  the  light  of 
men.  And  the  light   shineth    in  darkness;  and   the  darkness 
comprehended  it  not."  (£•)  He  indicates  indeed  that  the  soul 
of  man  is  irradiated  with  a  beam  of  divine  light,  so  that  it  is 
never  wholly  destitute  either  of  some  little  flame,  of  at  least  of 
a  spark  of  it;  but  he  likwise  suggests  that  it  cannot  compre- 
hend   God    by  that    illumination.  And    this    because   all    his 
sagacity,  as  far  as  respects  the  knowledge  of  God,  is  mere 
blindness.   For  when  the  Spirit  calls  men  "  darkness,"  he  at 
once  totally  despoils  them  of  the  faculty  of  spiritual  under- 
standing. Wherefore  he  asserts  that  the  faithful,  who  receive 
Christ,  are  "  born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh, 
nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God."  (/*)  As  though  he  had 
said,  that  the  flesh  is  not  capable  of  such  sublime  wisdom  as  to 
conceive  of  God  and  divine  things,  without  being  illuminated  by 
the  Spirit  of  God;  as  Christ  testified  that  his  being  known 
by  Peter  was  owing  to  a  special  revelation  of  the  Father,  (i) 

XX.  If  we  were  firmly  persuaded  of   what  indeed  ought 
not  to  be  questioned,  that  our  nature  is  destitute  of  all  those 
things  which  our  heavenly  Father  confers  on  his  elect  through 
the  Spirit  of  regeneration,  here  would  be  no  cause  of  hesitation. 
For  this  is  the  language  of  the  faithful  by  the  mouth  of  the 
Prophet;  "  With  thee  is  the  fountain  of  life:  in  thy  light  we 

see  light.  "  (£)  The  Apostle  confirms  the  same,  when  he 

(ff)  John  i.  4.  (A)  John  i.  13. 

(/')  Matt.  i-vi.  17.  (>)  Psalm  xxxvi.  9. 


CHAP.  ii.J  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  ^y,i 

says,  that  "  no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy 
Ghost."  (/)  And  John  the  Baptist,  perceiving  the  stupidity  of 
his  disciples,  exclaims,  that  u  a  mun  can  receive  nothing, 
except  it  be  given  him  from  above."  (;n)  That  by  "  gift"  he 
intends  a  special  illumination,  not  a  common  faculty  of  nature, 
is  evident  from  the  complaint  which  he  makes  of  the  inefiicacy 
of  the  many  discourses  in  which  he  had  recommended  Christ 
to  his  disciples.  "  I  see  that  words  are  unavailing  to  instruct 
the  minds  of  men  in  divine  things,  unles.s  God  give  them 
understanding  by  his  Spirit."  And  Moses  also,  when  he  re- 
proaches the  people  for  their  forgetfulness,  yet  at  the  same 
time  remarks,  that  they  cannot  be  wise  in  the  mysteries  of  God 
but  by  the  divine  favour.  He  says,  "  Thine  eyes  have  seen 
the  signs  and  those  great  miracles:  yet  the  Lord  hath  not 
given  you  an  heart  to  perceive,  and  eyes  to  see,  and  ears  to 
hear."  (n)  What  more  would  he  express,  if  he  had  called  them 
blockheads,  destitute  of  all  understanding  in  the  consideration 
of  the  works  of  God?  Whence  the  Lord,  by  the  Prophet, 
promises,  as  an  instance  of  peculiar  grace,  that  he  will  give-  the 
Israelites  "  an  heart  to  know"  him:  (0)  plainly  suggesting 
that  the  mind  of  man  has  no  spiritual  wisdom,  any  farther  than 
as  it  is  enlightened  by  him.  Christ  also  hath  clearly  confirmed 
this  by  his  own  declaration,  that  no  man  can  come  to  him, 
except  the  Father  draw  him.  (/>)  What?  is  he  not  himself 
the  lively  image  of  the  Father,  representing  to  us  all  "  the 
brightness  of  his  glory?"  (y)  Therefore  he  could  not  better 
manifest  the  extent  of  our  capacity  for  the  knowledge  of  God, 
than  when  he  affirms  that  we  have  no  eyes  to  behold  his  image 
where  it  is  so  plainly  exhibited.  What?  did  he  not  descend  to 
the  earth  in  order  to  discover  to  men  the  will  of  the  Father? 
And  did  he  not  faithfully  fulfil  the  object  of  his  mission?  He 
certainly  did;  but  his  preaching  is  not  at  all  efficacious,  unless 
the  way  to  the  heart  be  laid  open  by  the  internal  teaching 
of  the  Spirit.  Therefore  noHC  come  to  him  but  they  who  have 
heard  and  learned  of  the  Father.  What  is  the  nature  of  this 
hearing  and  learning?  It  is  when  the  Spirit,  by  a  wonderful 
ajid  peculiar  power,  forms  the  ears  to  hear,  and  the  mind  to 

(/)  1  Cor.  xii.  3.  (m)  John  iii.  27.  (n)  Deut  xxix.  3,  4. 

(»)  Jer.  MJV.  7.  (/»)  John  vi.  44.  (?)  Heb. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  u. 

understand.  And  lest  this  should  appear  strange,  he  cites  the 
prophecy  of  Isaiah,  where,  predicting  the  restoration  of  the 
Church,  he  says,  that  all  those  who  shall  be  saved  "  shall  he 
taught  of  the  Lord."  If  God  there  predicts  something  peculiar 
concerning  his  elect,  it  is  evident  that  he  speaks  not  of  that 
kind  of  instruction  which  is  common  also  to  the  impious  and 
profane.  It  must  be  concluded  therefore,  that  there  is  no 
admission  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  for  him  whose  mind 
has  beep,  renewed  by  the  illumination  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  But 
Paul  expu  sses  himself  more  clearly  than  all  the  others.  Having 
professedly  entered  upon  ihis  argument,  after  he  has  condemned 
all  human  wisdom  as  folly  and  vanity,  and  even  reduced  it  to 
nothing,  he  comes  to  this  conclusion:  "The  natural  man  rc- 
ceiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God:  for  they  are 
foolishness  unto  him:  neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they 
are  spiritually  discerned."  (r)  Whom  does  he  call  the  natural 
man?  him  who  depends  on  the  light  of  nature.  He,  I  say,  has 
no  apprehension  of  the  mysteries  of  God.  Why  so?  because 
through  slothfulness  he  neglects  them?  Even  his  utmost  en- 
deavours can  avail  nothing,  "  because  they  are  spiritually  dis- 
cerned." This  implies,  that  being  entirely  concealed  from 
human  perspicacity,  they  are  discovered  only  by  the  revelation 
of  the  Spirit;  so  that  where  the  illumination  of  the  Spirit  is 
not  enjoyed,  they  are  deemed  foolishness  itself.  He  had  before 
extolled  u  the  things  which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him"  (*)  above  the  capacity  of  our  eyes,  our  ears,  and 
our  minds:  he  had  even  asserted  that  human  wisdom  was  a 
kind  of  veil,  by  which  the  mind  is  prevented  from  a  discovery 
of  God.  What  do  we  want  more?  The  Apostle  pronounces 
that  "  God  hath  made  foolish  the  wisdom  of  this  world;"  (?) 
and  shall  we  ascribe  to  it  such  a  degree  of  sagacity,  as  would 
enable  it  to  penetrate  to  God,  and  to  the  most  secret  re- 
cesses of  the  heavenly  kingdom?  Far  be  from  us  such  extreme 
stupidity. 

XXI.  That  which  he  here  detracts  from  men,  he  in  another 
place  ascribes  exclusively  to  God.  Praying  for  the  Ephesians, 
be  says,  "  May  God,  the  Father  of  glory,  give  unto  you  the 

frt  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  '  nor.  ii.  9.  (/)  1  Cor.  i.  20. 


CHAP,  ii.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  295 

Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation."  (u)  You  hear  now  that  all 
wisdom  and  revelation  is  the  gift  of  God.  What  follows? 
K  The  eyes  of  your  understanding  being  enlightened."  If 
they  need  a  new  revelation,  they  are  certainly  blind  of  them- 
selves. It  follows,  "  that  ye  may  know  what  is  the  hope  of  his 
calling,"  &c.  He  confesses,  then,  that  the  minds  of  men  are 
not  naturally  capable  of  this  great  knowledge.  Nor  let  any 
Pelagian  here  object,  that  God  assists  this  stupidity  or  igno- 
rance, when  by  the  teaching  of  his  word  he  directs  the  human 
understanding  to  that  which,  without  a  guide,  it  never  could 
have  attained.  For  David  had  the  law  in  which  all  desirable 
wisdom  was  comprised;  yet  not  content  with  this,  he  requested 
that  his  eyes  might  be  opened  to  consider  the  mysteries  of 
that  law.  (w)  By  this  expression  he  clearly  signifies,  that  the 
sun  arises  on  the  nations,  where  the  word  of  God  shines  on 
mankind;  but  that  they  derive  little  advantage  from  it,  till  he 
himself  either  gives  them  eyes  or  opens  them,  who  is  therefore 
called  "  the  Father  of  lights;"  (_Y)  because  wherever  he  shines 
not  by  his  Spirit,  every  thing  is  covered  with  darkness.  Thus 
also  the  Apostles  were  rightly  and  abundantly  taught  by  the 
best  of  all  teachers:  yet  if  they  had  not  needed  the  Spirit  of 
truth  («/)  to  instruct  their  minds  in  that  very  doctrine,  which 
they  had  previously  heard,  they  would  not  have  been  com- 
manded to  expect  him.  If  in  imploring  any  favour  of  God 
\ve  confess  our  need,  and  if  his  promising  it  argues  our  po- 
verty, let  no  man  hesitate  to  acknowledge,  that  he  is  incapable 
of  understanding  the  mysteries  of  God,  any  farthe*  than  he 
has  been  illuminated  by  divine  grace.  He  who  attributes  to 
himself  more  understanding,  is  so  much  the  blinder,  because 
he  does  not  perceive  and  acknowledge  his  blindness* 

XXII.  It  remains  for  us  to  notice  the  third  branch  of 
knowledge,  relating  to  the  rule  for  the  proper  regulation  of 
our  life,  which  we  truly  denominate  the  knowledge  of  works 
of  righteousness;  in  which  the  human  mind  discovers  some- 
what more  acuteness  than  in  the  two  former  particulars.  For 
the  Apostle  declares,  that  "  when  the  Gentiles,  which  have  not 
the  law,  do  by  nature  the  things  contained  in  the  law, 

(•«)  Eph.  i.  17.  (w)  Psalm  cxix.  18. 

(x)  James  i.  17  f  v)  John  xvi.  & 


-W  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

having  not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  themselves:  which  shew  the 
work  of  the  law  written  in  their  hearts,  their  conscience  also 
hearing  witness,  and  their  thoughts  the  mean  while  accusing 
or  else  excusing  one  another."  (z)  If  the  Gentiles  have  na- 
turally the  righteousness  of  the  law  engraven  on  their  minds, 
we  certainly  cannot  say  that  they  are  altogether  ignorant  how 
they  ought  to  live.  And  no  sentiment  is  more  commonly  ad- 
mitted, than  that  man  is  sufficiently  instructed  in  a  right  rule  of 
life  by  that  natural  law  of  which  the  Apostle  there  speaks. 
But  let  us  examine  for  what  purpose  this  knowledge  of  the 
law  was  given  to  men;  and  then  it  will  appear  how  far  it  can 
conduct  them  towards  the  mark  of  reason  and  truth.  This  is 
evident  also  from  the  words  of  Paul,  if  we  observe  the  con- 
nection of  the  passage.  He  had  just  before  said,  "  As  many 
as  have  sinned  without  law,  shall  also  perish  without  law: 
and  as  many  as  have  sinned  in  the  law,  shall  be  judged  by 
the  law."  Because  it  might  appear  absurd  that  the  Gentiles 
should  perish  without  any  previous  knowledge,  he  imme- 
diately subjoins  that  their  conscience  supplies  the  place  of  a 
Jaw  to  them,  and  is  therefore  sufficient  for  their  just  con- 
demnation. The  end  of  the  law  of  nature  therefore  is,  that 
man  may  be  rendered  inexcusable.  Nor  will  it  be  im- 
properly defined  in  this  manner,  That  it  is  a  sentiment  of 
the  conscience  sufficiently  discerning  between  good  and  evil, 
to  deprive  men  of  the  pretext  of  ignorance,  while  they  are 
convicted  even  by  their  own  testimony.  Such  is  the  indul- 
gence of  man  to  himself,  that  in  the  perpetration  of  evil  actions 
he  always  gladly  diverts  his  mind  as  much  as  he  possibly  can 
from  all  sense  of  sin;  which  seems  to  have  induced  Plato  to 
suppose,  that  no  sin  is  committed  but  through  ignorance. 
This  remark  of  his  would  be  correct,  if  the  hypocrisy  of  men 
could  go  so  far  in  the  concealment  of  their  vices,  as  that  the 
mind  would  have  no  consciousness  of  its  guilt  before  God. 
But  since  the  sinner,  though  he  endeavours  to  evade  the  know- 
ledge of  good  and  evil  imprinted  on  his  mind,  is  frequently 
brought  back  to  it,  and  so  is  not  permitted  to  shut  his  eyes,  but 
compelled,  whether  he  will  or  not,  sometimes  to  open  them;  there 
is  no  truth  in  the  assertion,  that  he  sins  only  through  ignorance. 

(z)  Rom.  ir.  H,  15. 


CHAP,  ii.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  297 

XXIII.  Themistius,  another  philosopher,  with  more  truth, 
teaches  that  the  human  understanding  is  very  rarely  deceived 
in  the  universal  definition,  or  in  the  essence  of  a  thing;  but 
that  it  falls  into  error,  when  it  proceeds  farther,  and  descends 
to  the  consideration  of  particular  cases.  There  is  no  man 
who,  if  he  be  interrogated  in  a  general  way,  will  not  affirm 
homicide  to  be  criminal,'  but  he  who  conspires  the  death  of 
his  enemy,  deliberates  on  it  as  on  a  good  action.  The  adul- 
terer will  condemn  adultery  in  general;  but  will  privately 
flatter  himself  in  his  own.  Here  lies  the  ignorance;  when  a 
man,  proceeding  to  a  particular  case,  forgets  the  rule  which 
he  had  just  fixed  as  a  general  position.  This  subject  is  very 
excellently  treated  by  Augustine,  in  his  exposition  of  the  first 
verse  of  the  fifty-seventh  Psalm.  The  observation  of  Themis- 
tius, however,  is  not  applicable  to  all  cases;  for  sometimes  the 
turpitude  of  the  crime  so  oppresses  the  conscience  of  the  sinner, 
that  no  longer  imposing  on  himself  under  the  false  image  of 
virtue,  he  rushes  into  evil  with  the  knowledge  of  his  mind  and 
the  consent  of  his  will.  This  state  of  mind  produced  these  ex- 
pressions which  we  find  in  a  heathen  poet;  "  I  see  the  better 
path,  and  approve  it;  I  pursue  the  worse."  Wherefore  the 
distinction  of  Aristotle  between  incontinence  and  intemperance 
appears  to  me  to  be  highly  judicious.  Where  incontinence 
predominates,  he  says,  that  by  the  perturbation  of  the  affections 
or  passions,  the  mind  is  deprived  of  particular  knowledge,  so 
that  in  its  own  evil  actions  it  observes  not  that  criminality, 
which  it  generally  discovers  in  similar  actions  committed  by 
other  persons;  and  that  when  the  perturbation  has  subsided, 
penitence  immediately  succeeds:  that  intemperance  is  not  extin- 
guished or  broken  by  a  sense  of  sin,  but  on  the  contrary  obsti- 
nately persists  in  the  choice  of  evil  which  it  has  made. 

XXIVJNow  when  you  hear  of  a  universal  judgment  in  mani 
to  discriminate  between  good  and  evil,  you  must  not  imagine! 
that  it  is  every  where  sound  and  perfect.;  For  if  the  hearts  of 
men  be  furnished  with  a  capacity  of  discriminating  what  is 
just  and  unjust,  only  that  they  may  not  excuse  them  selves  with 
the  plea  of  ignorance,  it  is  not  at  all  necessary  for  them  to 
discover  the  truth  in  every  point:  it  is  quite  sufficient,  if  they 
understand  so  much  that  they  can  avail  themselves  of  no  sub- 

VOL.  I.  2  P 


29.8  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

terfuge,  but  being  convicted  by  the  testimony  of  their  own 
conscience  even  now  begin  to  tremble  at  the  tribunal  of  God. 
And  if  we  will  examine  our  reason  by  the  divine  law,  which  is 
the  rule  of  perfect  righteousness,  we  shall  find  in  how  many 
respects  it  is  blind.  It  certainly  is  far  from  reaching  the 
principal  points  in  the  first  table;  such  as  relate  to  trust  in 
God,  ascribing  to  him  the  praise  of  goodness  and  righteous- 
ness, the  invocation  of  his  name,  and  the  true  observation  of 
the  sabbath.  What  mind,  relying  on  its  natural  powers,  ever 
imagined  that  the  legitimate  w  orship  of  God  consisted  in  these 
and  similar  things?  For  when  profane  men  intend  to  worship 
God,  though  they  are  recalled  a  hundred  times  from  their 
vain  and  nugatory  fancies,  yet  they  are  always  relapsing  into 
them  again.  They  deny  that  sacrifices  are  pleasing  to  God, 
unaccompanied  with  sincerity  of  heart;  thereby  testifying  that 
they  have  some  ideas  concerning  the  spiritual  worship  of  God, 
which  nevertheless  they  immediately  corrupt  by  their  false 
inventions.  For  it  is  impossible  ever  to  persuade  them  that 
every  thing  is  true  which  the  law  prescribes  concerning  it. 
Shall  I  say  that  the  mind  of  man  excels  in  discernment,  which 
can  neither  understand  of  itself,  nor  hearken  to  good  instruc- 
tions? Of  the  precepts  of  the  second  table  it  has  a  little  clearer 
understanding,  since  they  are  more  intimately  connected  with 
the  preservation  of  civil  society  among  men.  Though  even 
here  it  is  sometimes  found  to  be  deficient:  for  to  every  noble 
mind  it  appears  very  absurd  to  submit  to  an  unjust  and  impe- 
rious despotism,  if  it  be  possible  by  any  means  to  resist  it. 
An  uniform  decision  of  human  reason  is,  that  it  is  the  mark 
of  a  servile  and  abject  disposition  patiently  to  bear  it,  and  of 
an  honest  and  ingenuous  mind  to  shake  it  off.  Nor  is  the  re- 
venging of  injuries  esteemed  a  vice  among  the  philosophers. 
But  the  Lord,  condemning  such  excessive  haughtiness  of  mind, 
presci'ibes  to  his  people  that  patience  which  is  deemed  disho- 
nourable among  men.  But  in  the  universal  observation  of  the 
law,  the  censure  of  concupiscence  wholly  escapes  our  notice. 
For  the  natural  man  cannot  be  brought  to  acknowledge  the 
disprders  of  his  inward  affections.  The  light  of  nature  is 
smothered,  befon  it  approaches  the  first  entrance  of  this  abyss. 
For  when  the  philosophers  represent  the  inordinate  affections 


CHAP.  ii.J  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  299 

of  the  mind  as  vices,  they  intend  those  which  appear  and  ma- 
nifest themselves  in  the  grosser  external  actions;  but  those 
corrupt  desires  which  mqre  secretly  stimulate  the  mind,  they 
consider  as  nothing. 

XXV.  Wherefore,  as  Plato  has  before  been  deservedly 
censured  for  imputing  all  sins  to  ignorance,  so  also  we  must 
reject  the  opinion  of  those  who  maintain  that  all  sins  proceed 
from  deliberate  malice  and  pravity.  For  we  too  much  expe- 
rience, how  frequently  we  fall  into  error  even  when  our  inten- 
tion is  good.  Our  reason  is  overwhelmed  with  deceptions  in 
so  many  forms,  is  obnoxious  to  so  many  errors,  stumbles  at  so 
many  impediments,  and  is  embarrassed  in  so  many  difficulties, 
that  it  is  very  far  from  being  a  certain  guide.  Paul  shews  its 
deficiency  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  in  every  part  of  our  life, 
when  he  denies  "  that  we  are  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think 
any  thing  as  of  ourselves."  (a)  He  does  not  speak  of  the  will 
or  the  affections,  but  he  also  divests  us  of  every  good  thought, 
that  we  may  not  suppose  it  possible  for  our  minds  to  conceive 
how  any  action  may  be  rightly  performed.  Are  all  our  in- 
dustry, perspicacity,  understanding,  and  care  so  depraved* 
that  we  cannot  conceive  or  meditate  any  thing  that  is  right  in 
the  sight  of  God?  To  us,  who  do  not  contentedly  submit  to 
be  stripped  of  the  acuteness  of  our  reason,  which  we  esteem 
our  most  valuable  endowment,  this  appears  too  harsh;  but  in 
the  estimation  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  knows  that  all  the 
thoughts  of  the  wisest  of  men  are  vain,  (£)  and  who  plainly 
pronounces  every  imagination  of  the  human  heart  to  be  only 
evil,  (c)  such  a  representation  is  consistent  with  the  strictest 
truth.  If  whatever  our  mind  conceives,  agitates,  undertakes, 
and  performs,  be  invariably  evil,  how  can  we  entertain  a 
thought  of  undertaking  any  thing  acceptable  to  God  by  whom 
nothing  is  accepted  but  holiness  and  righteousness?  Thus  it 
is  evident  that  the  reason  of  our  mind,  whithersoever  it  turns, 
is  unhappily  obnoxious  to  vanity.  David  was  conscious  to 
himself  of  this  imbecility,  when  he  prayed  that  understanding 
might  be  given  him,  to  enable  him  rightly  to  learn  the  com- 
mandments of  the  Lord.  (</)  For  his  desire  to  obtain  a  new 

(a)  2  Cor.  Hi.  5.  (6)  Psalm  xciv.  11. 

(c)  Gen.  vi.  5.  viii.  21.  (rf)  Psalm  cxix.  34. 


300  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n 

understanding  implies  the  total  insufficiency  of  his  own.   And 
this  he  does,  not  once,  but  almost  ten  times  in  one  Psalm  he 
repeats  the   same  petition;  a  repetition  indicating  the  great- 
ness of  the  necessity  which  urges  him  thus  to  pray.   What 
David  requests  for  himself  alone,  Paul  frequently  supplicates 
for  the  churches  at  large.  "  We  do  not  cease  to  pray  for  you," 
says  he,  "  and  to  desire,  that  ye  might  be  filled  with  the  know- 
ledge of  his  will  in  all  wisdom  and  spiritual   understanding: 
that  ye  might  walk  worthy  of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing."  (e) 
Whenever  he  represents  that  as  a  blessing  of  God,  we  should 
remember  that  he  thereby  testifies  it  to  be  placed  beyond  the 
ability  of  man.    Augustine  so  far  acknowledges  this  defect  of 
reason  in  understanding  the  things  of  God,  that  he  thinks  the 
grace  of  illumination  no  less  necessary  to  our  minds  than  the 
light  of  the  sun  to  our  eyes.    And  not   content  with  this,  he 
subjoins  the  following  correction,  that  we  ourselves  open  our 
eyes  to  behold  the  light,  but  that  the  eyes  of  our  minds  remain 
shut,  unless  they  are  opened  by  the  Lord.  Nor  does  the  Scrip- 
ture teach  us  that  our  minds  are  illuminated  only  on  one  day, 
so  as  to  enable  them  to  see  afterwards  without  farther  assistance; 
for  the  passage  just  quoted  from  Paul  (y)  relates  to  continual 
advances  and  improvements.   And  this  is  clearly  expressed  by 
David  in  these  words,   "  With  my  whole  heart  have  I  sought 
thee:   O  let  me   not  wander  from  thy  commandments."  For 
after  having  been  regenerated,  and  made  a  more  than  com- 
mon progress  in  true  piety,  he  still  confesses  his  need  of  per- 
petual direction  every  moment,  lest  he   should   decline  from 
that    knowledge  which  he    possesses.   Therefore,    in    another 
place,  he  prays  for  the  renewal  of  a  right  spirit,  which  he  had 
lost  by  his  sin;  (g)  because  it  belongs   to  the  same  God  to 
restore  that  which  he  originally  bestowed,  but  of  which  we 
have  been  for  a  time  deprived. 

XXVI.  We  must  now  proceed  to  the  examination  of  the 
will,  to  which  principally  belongs  the  liberty  of  choice;  for  we 
have  before  seen  that  election  belongs  rather  to  the  will  than 
to  the  understanding.  In  the  first  place,  that  the  opinion  ad- 
vanced by  philosophers,  and  received  by  general  consent,  that 

(0  Col.  i.  9.    IHiil.  i.  4  (/)  Col.  i.  9.  (  j )  Psalm  U-  ». 


CHAP,  ii.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  301 

till  things  by  a  natural  instinct  desire  what  is  good,  may  not 
be  supposed  to  prove  the  rectitude  of  the  human  will;  let  us 
observe,  that  the  power  of  free  choice  is  not  to  be  contem- 
plated in  that  kind  of  appetite,  which  proceeds  rather  from 
the  inclination  of  the  nature  than  from  the  deliberation  of  the 
mind.   For  even  the  schoolmen  confess  that  there  is  no  action 
of  free  choice,  but  when  reason  sees  and  considers  the  rival 
objects   presented  to  it;  meaning  that  the  object    of  appetite 
must  be  such  as  is  the  subject  of  choice,  and  that  deliberation 
precedes  and  introduces  choice.  And  in  fact,  if  you  examine 
the  desire  of  good  which  Js  pjtfuraj  tn  rf>aiyy™1  W'H  finfl  thai 
he  has  it  in  common  with  the  bruteg.    For  they  also  desire  to 
be    happy,    and    pursue    every    agreeable    appearance    which 
attracts    their  senses.    But  man  neither  rationally   chooses  as 
the  object  of  his  pursuit  that  which  is  truly  good  for  him, 
according  to  the  excellence  of  his  immortal  nature,  nor  takes 
the  advice  of  reason,  nor  duly  exerts  his  understanding:  but 
without    reason,    without   reflection,    follows    his  natural    in- 
clination, like  the  herds  of  the  field.   It  is  therefore  no  argu- 
ment for  the  liberty  of  the  will,  that  man  is  led  by  natural 
instinct  to  desire  that  which  is  good;  but  it  is  necessary  that 
he    discern  what  is  good  according  to  right   reason,  that  as 
soon    as  he  knows  it,  he  choose  it;  and   as  soon  as  he    has 
chosen  it,  that  he  pursue  it.  To  remove  every  difficulty,  we 
must  advert   to   two  instances  of  false    argumentation.    For 
the  desire  here  intended  is  not  a  proper  motion,  of  the  will. 
but  a  natural  inclination;  jmd^  the    good   in  question   relates 
not  to  virtue    or  righteousQesjh  Jbut^o    condition;    as    when 
we    say  a  man   is    well   or   in    good  health.   Lastly,  though 
man  has  the  strongest  desire  after  what  is  good,  yet  he  does 
not  pursue  it.  There  is  no  man  to  whom  eternal  felicity  is 
unwelcome,  yet  no  man  aspires  to  it   without    the    influence 
of  the  Spirit.  Since  therefore  the  desire  of  happiness  natural 
to  man  furnishes  no  argument  for  the  liberty  of  the  will,  any 
more  than  a  tendency  in  metals  and  stones  towards  the  per- 
fection of  their  nature  argues  liberty  in  them;  let  us  consider 
in  some  other  particulars,  whether  the  will  be  in  every  part 
so  entirely  vitiated  and  depraved  that  it  can  produce  nothing 


INSTITUTES  OF  THK  [BOOK  n. 

but  what  is  evil:  or  whether  it  retain  any  small  part  uninjured 
which  may  be  the  source  of  good  desires. 

XXVII.  Those  who  attribute  it  to  the  first  grace  of  God, 
that  we  are  able  to  will  effectually,  seem  on  the  contrary  to 
imply  that  the  soul  has  a  faculty  of  spontaneously  aspiring  to 
what  is  pood,  but  that  it  is  too  weak  to  rise  into  a  solid  affec- 
tion, or  to  excite  any  endeavour.  And  there  is  no  doubt  that 
the  Schoolmen  have  in  general  embraced  this  opinion,  which 
was  borrowed  from  Origen  and  some  of  the  fathers:  since  they 
frequently  consider  man  in  things  purely  natural,  as  they  ex- 
press themselves,  according  to  the  description  given  by  the 
Apostle  in  these  words:  "  The  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not: 
but  the  evil  which  I  would  not,  that  I  do.  To  will  is  present 
with  me;  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good,  I  find  not."  (/*) 
But  this  is  a  miserable  and  complete  perversion  of  the  argu- 
ment which  Paul  is  pursuing  in  that  passage.  For  he  is  treat- 
ing of  the  Christian  conflict,  which  he  more  briefly  hints  at  to 
the  Galatians;  the  conflict  which  the  faithful  perpetually  ex- 
perience within  themselves  in  the  contention  between  the  flesh 
and  the  spirit.  Now  the  spirit  is  not  from  nature  but  feorn^  re- 
generation.  But  that  the  Apostle  speaks  concerning  the  regene- 
rate, is  evident  from  his  assertion,  that  in  himself  dwelt  nothing 
good,  being  immediately  followed  by  an  explanation  that  he 
meant  it  of  his  flesh.  And  therefore  he  affirms  that  it  is  not 
he  that  doeth  evil,  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in  him.  What  is  the 
meaning  of  this  correction,  "  in  me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh?" 
Just  as  if  he  had  expressed  himself  in  the  following  manner: 
No  good  resides  in  me  originating  from  myself,  for  in  my  flesh 
can  be  found  nothing  that  is  good.  Hence  follows  that  form 
of  exculpation:  "  I  do  not  the  evil,  but  sin  that  dwelleth  in 
me:"  (z)  which  is  inapplicable  to  any  but  the  regenerate,  who 
with  the  prevailing  bias  of  their  souls  aim  at  what  is  good. 
Now  the  conclusion  which  is  subjoined  places  all  this  in  a  clear 
point  of  view:  "  I  delight,"  says  he,  "  in  the  law  of  God 
after  the  inward  man:  but  I  see  another  law  in  my  members, 
warring  against  the  law  of  my  mind."  (^)  Who  has  such  a 

(fc)  Rom.  vii.  18,  19.  (i)  Rom.  vji.  20.  (*)  Rom.  vii.  22,  23. 


CHAP,  ii.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION*-  303 

dissention  in  himself,  but  he  who,  being  regenerated  by  the 
Divine  Spirit,  carries  about  with  him  the  relics  of  his  flesh? 
Therefore  Augustine,  though  he  had  at  one  time  supposed 
that  discourse  to  relate  to  the  natural  state  of  man,  retracted 
his  interpretation,  as  false  and  inconsistent.  And  indeed,  if  we 
allow  that  men  destitute  of  grace  have  some  motions  towards 
true  goodness,  though  ever  so  feeble,  what  answer  shall  we* 
give  to  the  Apostle,  who  denies  that  we  are  sufficient  of  our- 
selves to  entertain  even  a  good  thought?  (/)  What  reply  shall  we 
make  to  the  Lord,  who  pronounces,  by  the  mouth  of  Moses,  that 
every  imagination  of  the  human  heart  is  only  evil?  (m)  Since 
they  have  stumbled  on  a  false  interpretation  of  one  passage, 
therefore,  there  is  no  reason  why  we  should  dwell  on  their 
opinion.  Rather  let  us  receive  this  declaration  of  Christ, 
"  Whosoever  committeth  sin  is  the  servant  of  sin."  (n)  We 
are  all  sinners  by  nature;  therefore  we  are  all  held  under  the 
yoke  of  sin.  Now  if  the  whole  man  be  subject  to  the  dominion 
of  sin,  the  will,  which  is  the  principal  seat  of  it,  must  neces- 
sarily be  bound  with  the  firmest  bonds.  Nor  would  there 
otherwise  be  any  consistency  in  the  assertion  of  Paul,  that  "  it 
is  God  that  worketh  in  us  to  will,"  (o)  if  any  will  preceded  the 
grace  of  the  Spirit.  Farewell,  then,  all  the  idle  observations  of 
many  writers  concerning  preparation:  for  although  the  faith- 
ful sometimes  petition  that  their  hearts  may  be  conformed  to 
the  divine  law,  as  David  does  in  many  places;  (/>)  yet  it  should 
be  remarked  that  even  this  desire  qf  praying  originates  from 
GpjL.  This  we  may  gather  from  the  language  of  David;  for 
when  he  wishes  a  clean  heart  to  be  created  within  him,  (^)  he 
certainly  does  not  arrogate  to  himself  the  beginning  of  such  a 
creation.  Let  us  rather  therefore  attend  to  this  advice  of 
Augustine:  "  God  will  prevent  you  in  all  things:  do  you  also 
sometimes  prevent  his  wrath."  How?  "  Confess  that  you  have 
all  those  things  from  God:  that  whatever  good  you  have,  it  is 
from  him:  but  whatever  evil,  from  yourself."  And  a  little 
after:  "  Nothing  is  ours,  but  sin." 

(/)  2  Cor.  iii.  5.  (w)  Gen.  viii.  21.  (n)  John  viii.  34. 

0)  Phil.  ii.  1".  (/>)  Psalm  cxix,  (9)  Psalm  li.  10. 


304  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 


-  CHAPTER  III. 

Every  thing  that  proceeds  from  the  corrupt  Nature  of  Man. 

worthy  of  Condemnation. 

BUT  man  cannot  be  better  known  in  either  faculty  of  his  soul, 
than  when  he  is  represented  in  those  characters  by  which  the 
Scripture  has  distinguished  him.  If  he  be  completely  described 
in  these  words  of  Christ,  "  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is 
flesh,"  (r)  as  it  is  easy  to  prove,  it  is  eviderit  that  he  is  a  very 
miserable  creature.  For  according  to  the  testimony  of  the 
Apostle,  "  to  be  carnally-minded  is  death:  because  the  carnal 
mind  is  enmity  against  God:  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of 
God,  neither  indeed  can  be."  (s)  Is  the  flesh  so  perverse,  that 
with  all  its  affections  it  entertains  a  secret  hatred  against  God? 
that  it  cannot  consent  to  the  righteousness  of  the  Divine  law? 
in  a  word,  that  it  can  produce  nothing  but  what  tends  to  death? 
Now  grant,  that  in  the  nature  of  man  there  is  nothing  but 
flesh,  and  elicit  any  thing  good  from  it,  if  you  can.  But  the 
name  of  flesh,  it  will  be  said,  pertains  only  to  the  sensual,  and 
not  to  the  superior  faculties  of  the  soul.  This  is  abundantly 
refuted  by  the  words  of  Christ  and  of  the  Apostle.  For  the 
argument  of  our  Lord  is,  that  man  must  be  born  again,  be- 
cause he  is  flesh.  He  does  not  teach  a  new  birth  in  regard  to 
the  body.  Now  a  new  birth  of  the  soul  requires  not  a  correc- 
tion of  some  portion  of  it,  but  an  entire  renovation.  And 
this  is  confirmed  by  the  antithesis  in  both  places:  for  there 
is  such  a  comparison  between  the  flesh  and  the  spirit,  that 
there  is  no  medium  left.  Therefore  every  thing  in  man  that 
is  not  spiritual,  is,  according  to  this  mode  of  reasoning,  deno- 
minated carnal.  But  we  have  nothing  of  the  Spirit,  except 
by  regeneration.  Whatever  therefore  we  have  from  nature  is 
carnal.  But  if  on  that  point  there  could  otherwise  be  any 
doubt,  we  have  it  removed  by  Paul;  when,  after  a  description 
of  the  old  man,  which  he  had  asserted  to  be  "  corrupt  accord- 
ing to  the  deceitful  lusts,"  (f)  he  directs  us  to  "be  renewed 

(r)  John  iii.  6.  (*)  Rom.  viii.  6,  7.  (*)  Eph.  ir.  22,  23. 


CHAP,  in.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  30* 

in  the  spirit  of  our  mind."  You  see  that  he  places  unlawful 
and  cojrapt^jaLffe^  sensitive  pjart^ but  also 

^SJth£wnjyjj£[Iteelf;  and  therefore  requires  a  renovation  of  it. 
And  indeed  he  had  just  before  drawn  such  a  picture  of  human 
nature,  as  shewed  us  to  be  in  every  part  corrupted  and  depraved. 
For  his  description  of  all  the  Gentiles,  as  "  walking  in  the 
vanity  of  their  mind,  having  the  understanding  darkened,  being 
alienated  from  the  life  of  God  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in 
them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  their  heart,"  (u)  is  undoubtedly 
applicable  to  all  those  whom  the  Lord  hath  not  yet  renewed 
to  the  rectitude  of  his  wisdom  and  of  his  justice.  This  is 
still  more  evident  from  the  comparison  soon  after  introduced, 
where  he  reminds  the  faithful,  that  they  "  have  not  so  learned 
Christ."  For  from  these  words  we  conclude,  that  the  grace  of 
Christ  is  the  only  remedy,  by  which  we  can  be  liberated  from 
that  blindness,  and  from  the  evils  consequent  upon  it.  And 
this  is  what  Isaiah  had  prophesied  concerning  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  when  he  predicted  that  the  Lord  would  be  "  an  ever- 
lasting light"  to  his  Church,  whilst  at  the  same  time  "  dark- 
ness covered  the  earth,  and  gross  darkness  the  people."  (zy) 
When  he  declares,  that  the  light  of  God  will  only  arise  upon 
the  Church,  beyond  the  limits  of  the  Church  he  certainly  leaves 
nothing  but  darkness  and  blindness.  I  will  not  particularly 
recite  all  the  passages  which  are  to  be  found,  especially  in  the 
Psalms  and  in  the  Prophets,  concerning  the  vanity  of  man, 
It  is  a  striking  observation  of  David,  that  "  to  be  laid  in  the 
balance,  they  are  altogether  lighter  than  vanity."  (x)  It  is  a 
severe  condemnation  of  his  understanding,  when  all  the 
thoughts  which  proceed  from  it  are  derided  as  foolish,  fri- 
volous, mad,  and  perverse. 

II.  Equally  severe  is  the  condemnation  of  the  heart,  when 
it  is  called  "  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked."  (y)  But  as  I  study  brevity,  I  shall  be  content  with 
citing  a  single  passage,  which,  however,  will  resemble  a  very 
lucid  mirror,  in  which  we  may  behold  at  full  length  the  image 
of  our  nature.  For  the  Apostle,  when  he  wishes  to  demolish 
the  arrogance  of  mankind,  does  it  by  these  testimonies:  "  There 

(<o)  Ephes.  iv.  17,  18.  (tu)  Isaiah  Ix.  1,  &c, 

(x)  Psalm  Ixii.  9.  (7)  Jer.  xvii.  9. 

VOL.  I.  2  Q 


306  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one:  there  is  none  that  understandeth, 
there  is  n'one  that  seeketh  after  God.  They  are  all  gone  out 
of  the  way,  they  are  together  become  unprofitable;  there  is 
none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one.  Their  throat  is  an  open 
sepulchre;  with  their  tongues  they  have  used  deceit;  the 
poison  of  asps  is  under  their  lips:  whose  mouth  is  full  of 
cursing  and  bitterness:  their  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood:  de- 
struction and  misery  are  in  their  ways:  there  is  no  fear  of 
God  before  their  eyes."  (z)  In  this  terrible  manner  he  inveighs, 
not  against  particular  individuals,  but  against  .all__the_£p_sterity 
of  Adam.  He  does  not  declaim  against  the  depraved  manners 
of  one  or  another  age,  but  accuses  the  perpetual  corruption 
of  our  nature.  For  his  design  in  that  passage  is  not  simply 
to  rebuke  men,  in  order  that  they  may  repent;  but  rather  to 
teach  us  that  all  men  are  overwhelmed  with  an  inevitable  cala- 
mity, from  which  they  can  never  emerge,  unless  they  are  ex- 
tricated by  the  mercy  of  God.  As  this  could  not  be  proved 
unless  it  were  evinced  by  the  ruin  and  destruction  of  our 
nature,  he  has  adduced  these  testimonies,  which  demonstrate 
our  nature  to  be  totally  ruined.  Let  this  then  be  admitted, 
that  men  are  such  as  they  are  here  described,  not  only  by  cor- 
rupt habits,  but  also  by  a  depravity  of  nature:  for  other- 
wise the  reasoning  of  "the  Apostle  could  not  be  supported, 
"  that  there  is  no  salvatioii  for  man  but  from  the  mercy  of 
God;  since  in  himself  he  is  in  a  ruined  and  desperate  condi- 
tion." Here  I  shall  not  attempt  to  establish  the  application 
of  the  testimonies,  to  preclude  the  suspicion  of  their  being  im- 
properly introduced.  I  shall  treat  them  just  as  if  they  had  been 
originally  uttered  by  Paul,  and  not  quoted  from  the  Prophets. 
He  divests  man  first  of  righteousness,  that  is,  integrity  and 
purity,  and  then  of  understanding.  Defect  of  understanding 
is  proved  by  apostacy  from  God,  the  seeking  of  whom  is  the 
first  step  in  the  path  of  wisdom:  but  this  loss  must  necessarily 
befal  those  Avho  have  revolted  from  God.  He  adds,  that  all 
have  gone  out  of  the  way,  and  are  become  altogether  corrupt, 
that  there  is  not  one  that  doeth  good.  Then  he  subjoins  the 
Hap-itious  crimes,  with  which  they,  who  are  once  abandoned  to 

Rom.  iii.  10—18 


CHAP,  in.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  3O7 

iniquity,  contaminate  all  the  members  of  their  bodies.  Lastly, 
he  declares  them  to  be  destitute  of  the  fear  of  God,  the  rule 
by  which  all  our  steps  ought  to  be  directed.  If  these  are  the 
hereditary  characters  of  mankind,  in  vain  do  we  seek  in  our 
nature  for  any  thing  that  is  good.  I  grant,  indeed,  that  all 
these  crimes  are  not  exhibited  in  every  individual;  yet  it  can- 
not be  denied  that  this  monster  lurks  in  the  hearts  of  all.  For 
as  the  body,  which  already  contains  within  itself  the  cause  and 
matter  of  a  disease,  although  it  has  yet  no  sensation  of  pain, 
cannot  be  said  to  enjoy  good  health;  neither  can  the  soul  be 
esteemed  healthy,  while  it  is  full  of  such  moral  maladies. 
Although  this  similitude  will  not  correspond  in  every  parti- 
cular: For  in  the  body,  however  diseased,  there  remains  the 
vigour  of  life;  but  the  soul,  immersed  in  this  gulf  of  iniquity, 
is  not  only  the  subject  of  vices,  but  totally  destitute  of  every 
thing  that  is  good. 

III.  A  question,  nearly  the  same  as  we  have  already  an- 
swered, here  presents  itself  to  us  again.  For  in  all  ages  there 
have  been  some  persons,  who  from  the  mere  dictates  of  nature, 
have  devoted  their  whole  lives  to  the  pursuit  of  virtue.  And 
though  many  errors  might  perhaps  be  discovered  in  their  con- 
duct, yet  by  their  pursuit  of  virtue  they  afforded  a  proof,  that 
there  was  some  degree  of  purity  in  their  nature.  The  value 
attached  to  virtues  of  such  a  description  before  God,  we 
shall  more  fully  discuss  when  we  come  to  treat  of  the  merits 
of  works,  yet  it  must  be  stated  also  in  this  place,  so  far  as  is 
necessary  for  the  elucidation  of  the  present  subject.  These 
examples  then  seem  to  teach  us  that  we  should  not^  consider 
human  nature  to  be  totally  corrupted;  since  from  its  in- 
stinctive bias,  some  mehliave  not  only  been  eminent  for  noble 
actions,  but  have  uniformly  conducted  themselves  in  a  most 
virtuous  manner  through  the  whole  course  of  their  lives.  But 
here  we  ought  to  remember,  that  amidst  this  corruption  of 
nature  thjjre  is  some  room  for  divine  grace,  not  to  purify  it, 
but  internally  to  restrain  "its  operations.  For  '  should  tiie 
Lord  permitthe  minds  of  all  men  to  give  up  the  reins  to  e  very- 
lawless  passion,  there  certainly  would  not  be  an  individual  in 
the  world,  whose  actions  would  not  evince  all  the  crimes,  for 
which  Paul  condemns  human  nature  in  general,  to  be  most 


308  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

truly  applicable  to  him.  For  can  you  except  yourself  from  the 
number  of  those,  whose  feet  are  swift  to  shed  blood,  whose 
hands  are  polluted  with  rapine  and  murder,  whose  throats  are 
like  open  sepulchres,  whose  tongues  are  deceitful,  whose  lips 
are  envenomed,  whose  works  are  useless,  iniquitous,  corrupt, 
and  deadly,  whose  souls  are  estranged  from  God,  the  inmost 
recesses  of  whose  hearts  are  full  of  pravity,  whose  eyes  are 
insidiously  employed,  whose  minds  are  elated  with  insolence, 
in  a  word,  all  whose  powers  are  prepared  for  the  commission 
of  atrocious  and  innumerable  crimes?  If  every  soul  be  subject 
to  all  these  monstrous  vices,  as  the  Apostle  fearlessly  pro- 
nounces, we  clearly  see  what  would  be  the  consequence,  if  the 
Lord  should  suffer  the  human  passions  to  go  all  the  lengths 
to  which  they  are  inclined.  There  is  no  furious  beast,  that 
would  be  agitated  with  such  ungovernable  rage;  there  is  no 
river,  though  ever  so  rapid  and  violent,  that  would-  overflow 
its  boundaries  with  such  impetuosity.  In  his  elect,  the  Lord 
heals  these  maladies  by  a  method  which  we  shall  hereafter  de- 
scribe. In  others,  he  restrains  them,  only  to  prevent  their 
ebullitions  so  far  as  he  sees  to  be  necessary  for  the  preservation 
of  the  universe.  Hence  some  by  shame,  and  some  by  fear  of 
the  laws,  are  prevented  from  running  into  many  kinds  of 
pollutions,  though  they  cannot  in  any  great  degree  dissemble 
their  impurity:  others,  because  they  think  that  a  virtuous 
course  of  life  is  advantageous,  entertain  some  languid  desires 
after  it:  others  go  farther,  and  display  more  than  common  ex- 
cellence, that  by  their  majesty  they  may  confine  the  vulgar  to 
their  duty.  Thus  God  by  his  providence  retains  the  per- 
verseness  of  our  nature  from  breaking  out  into  external  acts, 
but  does  not  purTFy~it  within. 

•  «i.fc  i  •  I.  ii» jLn.  j  i        1 1 1 '  *•  ~ 

IV.  But  it  may  DC  said,  the  difficulty  is  not  yet  removed. 
For  either  we  must  esteem  Camillus  to  be  exactly  similar  to 
Catiline;  or  in  Camillus  we  shall  have  an  example  that  nature, 
if  it  be  studiously  cultivated,  is  not  altogether  destitute  of 
goodness.  I  grant  indeed  that  the  virtues  displayed  in  Ca- 
millus were  gifts  of  God,  and  if  considered  in  themselves, 
appear  justly  worthy  of  commendation:  but  how  will  they  be 
proofs  of  any  natural  goodness  in  him?  To  establish  this, 
must  we  not  recur  to  the  heart,  and  argue,  that  if  a  natural 


I.HAP,  in.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  309 

man   was  eminent  for  such  integrity  of  manners,  human  na- 
ture is  not  destitute  of  ability  for  the  pursuit  of  virtue?  But 
what  if  his  heart  was  depraved  and  perverted,  and  followed 
any  thing   rather  than    the   path    of  rectitude?    And  that  it 
was  such,  if  you  concede   that  he  was  a  natural  man,  is  be- 
yond  all   doubt.    What    ability  then    will   you    attribute    to 
human  nature  for  the  pursuit  of  virtue,  if,  with  the  greatest 
appearance  of   integrity,  it  is  discovered  to  be  always  tending 
to  corruption?    Therefore,  as  you  will  not  commend  a   man 
for  virtue,  whose  vices  have  only  counterfeited  the  external 
form  of  virtue,  so  you  must  not  attribute  to  the  human  will  a 
power  of  desiring  what  is  right,  as  long  as  it  continues  fixed 
in  its  perverseness.    The   most  certain   and  easy  solution   of 
this    question,  however,    is,   that  those   virtues   are   not  the 
common  properties  of  nature,  but  the  peculiar  graces  of  God, 
which  he  dispenses  in  great  variety,  and  in  a  certain  degree  to 
men  that  are  otherwise  profane.  For  which  reason  we  hesitate 
not  in  common  speech  to  call  the  nature  of  one  man  good, 
and   of  another   depraved.  Yet  we  still  include  both  in  the 
universal  state  of  human  depravity;  but  we  signify  what  pecu- 
liar grace  God  hath  conferred  on  the  one,  with  which  he  hath 
not  deigned  to  favour  the  other.    When    he   determined  to 
exalt  Saul  to  the  kingdom,  he  made  him  as  it  were  a  new  man: 
and   this  is  the  reason  why  Plato,  alluding  to   the   fable  of 
Homer,  says,  that  the  sons  of  kings  are  formed  with  some 
distinguishing    singularity    of   character:    because    God,   con- 
sulting the  benefit  of  mankind,  frequently  furnishes  with  an 
heroic   nature   those  whom  he  destines  to  hold  the   reins  of 
empire:  and  from  this  source  have  proceeded  all  the  exploits 
of   great  heroes  which  are   celebrated    in  history.  The  same 
judgment  must  be  formed  concerning  those  also  who  are  in  a 
private  station.  But  because  every  one  who  has  risen  to  great 
eminence  has  been  impelled  by  his  ambition,  which  defiles  all 
virtues,  and  deprives  them  of  all  excellence  in  the  divine  view, 
whatever   may  be    apparently  laudable    in    ungodly  men,    it 
ought    not   to  be  esteemed   at   all    meritorious.  Besides,  the 
chief  branch  of  rectitude  is  wanting,  where  there  is  no  con- 
cern to  display  the  glory  of  God;  of  this  principle  all  are  desti- 
tute whom  he  hath  not  regenerated  by  his  Spirit.   Nor  is  it  in 


•310  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

vain  that  Isaiah  says,  that  "  the  Spirit  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord 
shall  rest  upon"  Christ;  (a)  which  teaches  us,  that  all  who  are 
alienated  from  Christ  are  destitute  of  that  "  fear  of  the  Lord" 
which  is  "  the  beginning  of  wisdom."  (£)  The  virtues,  which 
deceive  us  by  their  vain  and  specious  appearance,  will  be  ap- 
plauded in  civil  courts,  and  in  the  common  estimation  of  man- 
kind; but  before  the  celestial  tribunal  they  will  possess  no  value 
to  merit  the  reward  of  righteousness. 

V.  The  Avill  therefore  is  so  bound  by  the  slavery  of  sin,  that 
it  cannot  excite  itself,  much  less  devote  itself  to  any  thing 
good;  for  such  a  disposition  is  the  beginning  of  a  conversion 

to  God,  which  in  the  Scriptures  is  attributed  solelvto  divine 

—    t .  i  _    ^    — 

grace.  Thus  Jeremiah  prays  to  the  Lord  to  convert  or  turn 
him,  if  he  would  have  him  to  be  turned,  (c)  Whence  the 
Prophet,  in  the  same  chapter,  describing  the  spiritual  redemp- 
tion of  the  faithful,  says,  "The  Lord  hath  redeemed  Jacob, 
and  ransomed  him  from  the  hand  of  him  that  was  stronger 
than  he:"  (W)  alluding  to  the  strong  fetters  with  which  the 
sinner  is  bound  as  long  as  he  is  deserted  by  the  Lord,  and 
continues  under  the  yoke  of  the  devil.  Nevertheless  there 
still  remains  the  faculty  of  will,  which  with  the  strongest  pro- 
pensity is  inclined  to  and  rushes  into  sin:  for  when  man  sub- 
jected himself  to  this  necessity,  he  was  not  deprived  of  his  will, 
but  of  soundness  of  will.  Bernard  properly  observes,  that  we 
all  have  a  power  to  will:  but  that  to  will  what  is  good,  is  an 
advantage;  to  will  what  is  evil,  a  defect.  Therefore  simply  to 
will  belongs  to  man;  to  will  what  is  evil,  to  corrupt  nature;  to 
will  what  is  good,  to  grace.  Now  when  I  assert  that  the  will, 
being  deprived  of  its  liberty,  is  necessarily  drawn  or  led  into 
evil;  I  should  wonder,  if  any  one  considered  it  as  a  harsh  ex- 
pression, since  it  has  nothing  in  it  absurd,  nor  is  it  unsanc- 
tioned  by  the  custom  of  good  men.  It  offends  those,  who 
know  not  how  to  distinguish  between  necessity  and  compul- 
sion. But  if  any  one  should  ask  them,  whether  God  is  not 
necessarily  good,  and  whether  the  devil  is  not  necessarily  evil; 
what  answer  AV  ill  they  make?  For  there  is  such  a  close  connexion 
between  the  goodness  of  God  and  his  divinity,  that  his  cU-itv 

(a)  Isaiah  xi.  2.  (6)  Psalm  cxi.  10. 

(c)  Jer.  jucxi.  18.  (rf)  Jer.  xxxl.  11. 


CHAP,  in.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  311 

is  not  more  necessary  than  his  goodness.  But  the  devil  is 
by  his  fall  so  alienated  from  communion  with  all  that  is  good, 
that  he  can  do  nothing  but  what  is  evil.  But  if  any  one  should 
sacrilegiously  object,  that  little  praise  is  due  to  God  for  his 
goodness,  which  he  is  constrained  to  preserve;  shall  we  not 
readily  reply,  that  his  inability  to  do  evil  arises  from  his  in- 
finite goodness,  and  not  from  the  impulse  of  violence?  There- 
fore if  a  necessity  of  doing  well  impairs  not  the  liberty  of  the 
Divine  will  in  doing  well;  if  the  devil,  who  cannot  but  do  evil, 
nevertheless  sins  voluntarily;  who  then  will  i assert  that  man 
--.ins  less  voluntarily,  because  he  is  .under  a  necessity  of  sinning? 
This  necessity  Augustine  every  where  maintains,  and  even  when 
he  was  pressed  with  the  cavils  of  Celestius,  who  tried  to  throw 
an  odium  on  this  doctrine,  he  confidently  expressed  himself  in 
these  terms:  "  By  means  of  liberty  it  came  to  pass  that  man 
fell  into  sin;  but  now  the  penal  depravity  consequent  on  it,  in- 
stead of  liberty,  has  introduced  necessity."  And  whenever  the 
mention  of  this  subject  occurs,  he  hesitates  not  to  speak  in 
this  manner  of  the  necessary  servitude  of  sin.  We  must  there- 
fore observe  this  grand  point  of  distinction,  that  man,  having 
been  corrupted  by  his  fall,  sins  voluntarily,  not  with  reluctance 
or  constraint;  with  the  strongest  propensity  of  disposition,  not 
with  violent  coercion;  with  the  bias  of  his  own  passions,  and 
not  with  external  compulsion:  yet  such  is  the  pravity  of  his 
nature,  that  he  cannot  be  excited  and  biassed  to  any  thing  but 
what  is  evil.  If  this  be  true,  there  is  no  impropriety  in  affirm- 
ing, that  he  is  under  a  necessity  of  sinning.  Bernard,  sub- 
scribing to  what  is  said  by  Augustine,  thus  expresses  himself: 
"  Among  all  the  animals,  man  alone  is  free:  and  yet  by  the 
intervention  of  sin,  he  also  suffers  a  species  of  violence:  but 
from  the  will,  not  from  nature,  so  that  he  is  not  thereby  de- 
prived of  his  innate  liberty."  For  what  is  voluntary  is  also 
free.  And  a  little  after:  "  The  will  being,  by  I  know  not  what 
corrupt  and  surprising  means,  changed  for  the  worse,  is  itself 
the  author  of  the  necessity  to  which  it  is  subject;  so  that  neither 
necessity,  being  voluntary,  can  excuse  the  will,  nor  the  will, 
being  fascinated,  can  exclude  necessity."  For  this  necessity 
is  in  some  measure  voluntary.  Afterwards  he  says,  that  we  are 
oppressed  with  a  yoke,  but  no  other  than  that  of  a  vohintarv 


312  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

servitude;  that  therefore  our  servitude  renders  us  miserable, 
and  our  will  renders  us  inexcusable;  because  the  will,  when 
it  was  free,  made  itself  the  slave  of  sin.  At  length  he  con- 
cludes, "  Thus  the  soul,  in  a  certain  strange  and  evil  manner, 
under  this  kind  of  voluntary  and  free  yet  pernicious  necessity, 
is  both  enslaved  and  free:  enslaved  by  necessity,  free  by  its 
will;  and,  what  is  more  wonderful  and  more  miserable,  it  is 
guilty,  because  free;  and  enslaved  wherein  it  is  guilty:  and  so 
therein  enslaved  wherein  it  is  free."  From  these  passages  the 
reader  clearly  perceives  that  I  am  teaching  no  novel  doctrine, 
but  what  was  long  ago  advanced  by  Augustine  with  the  uni- 
versal consent  of  pious  men,  and  which  for  nearly  a  thousand 
years  after  was  confined  to  the  cloisters  of  monks.  But  Lom- 
bard, for  want  of  knowing  how  to  distinguish  necessity  from 
coaction,  gave  rise  to  a  pernicious  error. 

VI.    It    is   necessary   on  the  other   hand    to  consider   the 
remedy  of  divine  grace,  by  which  the  depravity  of  nature  is 

*  •  I  ii    ,  D        T         \     I    J      ~  ^          ...--  I  -  .._T_._ 

corrected  and  healed.   For  since  the  Lord,  in  the  assistance 

.  .  » 

which  he  affords  us,  bestows  on  us  that  which  we  need,  an 
exhibition  of  the  nature  of  his  work  in  us  will  immediately 
discover  the  nature  of  our  necessity.  When  the  Apostle 
tells  the  Philippians,  that  he  is  "  confident  that  he  which 
hath  begun  a  good  work  in  them  will  perform  it  until  the 
day  of  Jesus  Christ;"  (P)  by  the  beginning  of  a  good  work 
he  undoubtedly  designs  the  commencement  of  conversion  which 
takes  place  in  the  will.  Therefore  God  begins  the  good  work  in 
us  by  exciting  in  our  hearts  a  love,  desire,  and  ardent  pursuit  of 
righteousness;  or,  to  speak  more  properly,  by  bending,  form- 
ing, and  directing  our  hearts  towards  righteousness:  but  he 
completes  it  by  confirming  us  to  perseverance.  That  no  one 
may  cavil,  that  the  good  work  is  begun  by  the  Lord,  inasmuch 
as  the  will,  which  is  weak  of  itself,  is  assisted  by  him;  the  Spirit 
declares  in  another  place  how  far  §  the  ability  of  the  will 
reaches,  when  left  to  itself.  "  A  new  heart  also,"  says  he, 
"  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you:  ami 
I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will 
give  you  an  heart  of  flesh.  And  1  will  put  my  Spirit  within 

0)  Pl.il.  5  >- 


CHAP,  in.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  313 

you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes."  (/)  Who  will 

assert  that  the  infirmity  of  the  human  will  is  only  strength- 

ened by  assistance,  to  enable  it  efficaciously  to  aspire  to  the 

choice  of  that  which  is  good;   when  it  actually  needs  a  total 

transformation   and   renovation?  If  there   be  in  a  stone  any 

softness,  which  by  some  application  being  made  more  tender 

would  be  flexible  in  every  direction,  then  I  will  not  deny  the 

flexibility  of  the  human  heart  to  the  obedience  of  rectitude, 

provided  its  imperfections  are  supplied  by  the  grace  of  God. 

But  if  by  this  similitude,  the  Lord  intended  to  shew  that  no 

good  will  ever  be  extracted  from  our  hearts,  unless  they  are 

entirely  renewed,  let  us  not  divide  between  him  and  us,  what 

he    claims    exclusively  to   himself.  If,  therefore,   when    God 

converts  us  to  the  pursuit  of  rectitude,  this  change  is  like  the 

transformation  of  a  stone  into  flesh,  it  follows,  that  whatever 

belongs  to  our  own  will  is  removed,  and  what  succeeds  to  it 

is  .entirely  from  God.  The  will,  I  say,  is  removed,  not  con- 

sidered as  the  will;   because  in  the  conversion  of  man,  the 

properties  of  our  original  nature  remain  entire.  I  assert  also, 

that  it  is  created  anew,  not  that  the  will  then  begins  to  exist, 

but  that  it  is  then  converted  from  an  evil  into  a  good  one. 

This  I  affirm  to  be  done  entirely  by  God,  because,  according 

to  the  testimony  of  the  same  Apostle,  "  We  are  not  sufficient" 

\-ven  "  to  think."  (^*)   Therefore  he   elsewhere   declares,  not 

merely  that  God  assists  the  infirmity  of  our  will,  or  corrects 

its  depravity,  but  that  he  "  worketh  in  us  to  will."  (A)  Whence 

it  is  easy  to  infer  what  I  have  already  remarked,  that  what- 

ever good  is  in  the  human  will,  is  the  work  of  pure  grace. 

In  the  same  sense  he  elsewhere  pronounces  that  it  is  "  God 

which  worketh  all  in  all."  (z)  For  in  that  place  he  is  not  dis- 

cussing the  government  of  the  universe,  but  asserting  that  the 

praise  of  all  the  excellencies   found    in  the   faithful   belongs 

to   God  alone.    And  by  using  the   word  "  all,"  he  certainly 

makes   God  the  author  of  spiritual  life  from  its  commence- 

ment even  to   its  termination.   This   is   the  same  as  he  had 

before  taught  in  other  words,  declaring  that  the  faithful  are 

aof  God  in  Christ;"  (£)  where  he  evidently  intends  the  new 


(/)  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26,  27-        fe)  2  Gor.  iii.  5.         (A)  Phil.  ii.  13. 
(01Cor.xii.fi.  ft)  1  Cor.  i.  30. 

VOL.  I.  OR 


,;14  i  XSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

creation,  by  which  what  belonged  to  our  common  nature  is 
abolished.  For  we  must  here   understand   an   implied  contrast 
ccn    Adam  and  Christ,  which  he  states  more  plainly  in 
another  place,  where  he  teaches  that  "we  arc  the  workman- 
>hi|>  of  God,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which 
God   hath    bt:forc   ordained  that  we  should  wralk  in  them."  (/) 
I -'or  by  this  argument  he  designs  to  prove  that  our  salvation  is 
gratuitous,  because  the  beginning  of  all  good  is  from  the  second 
creation  which  we  obtain  in  Christ.  Now  if  we  possessed  any 
ability,  though  ever  so  small,  we  should  also  have  some  portion 
of  merit.  But  to  annihilate  all  our  pretensions,  he  argues  that  we 
have  merited  nothing,  because  "  we  are  created  in  Christ  Jesus 
unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained:"  in  which 
expressions  he  again  signifies  that  all  the  parts  of  good  works, 
even  from  the  first  inclination  of  the  mind,  are  entirely  from 
God.    For   this   reason  the    Psalmist,   after   having   said   that 
"  he  (God)  hath  made  us,"  that  there  may  be  no  division  of 
the  work,  immediately  subjoins,  "  and  not  we  ourselves."  (m) 
That  he  speaks  of  regeneration,  which  is  the  commencement 
of  the  spiritual  life,  is  evident  from  the  context,  where  it  fol- 
lows immediately  after,  that  "  we  arc  his  people,  and  the  sheep 
of  his  pasture."  We  s:ee  then,  that  not  content  with  having* 
simply  attributed  to  God  the  praise  of  our  salvation,  he  ex- 
pressly excludes  us  from  all  fellowship  with  him;  as  though  he 
would  say,  that  man  lias  not  even ^he  smallest  particle  j-emaih 
ing  in  which  he  can  glory,  because  all  is  of  God. 

VII.  But  there  maybe  some,  who  will  concede  that  the  will, 
being  of  its  own  spontaneous  inclination  averse  to  what  is  good, 
is  converted  solely  by  the  power  of  the  Lord:  yet  in  such  a 
manner,  that  being  previously  prepared,  it  has  also  its  own  share 
in  the  work:  that  .grace,  as  Augustine  teaches,  precedes  every 
good  work,  the  will  following  grace,  not  leading  it,  being  its 
companion,  not  its  guide.  This  unobjectionable  observation 
of  that  holy  man,  Peter  Lombard  preposterously  wrests  to  an 
erroneous  meaning.  Now  I  contend  that  both  in  the  words  ol 
the  Prophrt  which  I  have  cited,  and  in  other  passages,  these 
Uvo  things  are  clearly  signified,  that  the  Lord  corrects  our 

!'h.  ij.  1f\  (»«)  Psalm  c.  ' 


CHAP,  in.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  olo 

depraved  will,  or  rather  removes  it,  and  of  himself  introduces 
a  good  one  in  its  place.  As  it  is  preceded  by  grace,  I  allow  you 
to  style  it  an  attendant;  but  since  its  reformation  is  the  work 
of  the  Lord,  it  is  wrong  to  attribute  to  man  a 


dience  in  foll^wjiig~^"^^ggTjI;iacg  pf.jjrace.  Therefore    it    is 
not  a  proper  expression  of  Chrysostom,  that  grace  is  able  to 
effect  nothing  without  the  will,  nor  the  will  without  grace;  as 
if  grace  did  not  produce  the  will  itself,  as  we  have  just  seen 
from  Paul.   Nor  was  it  the  intention  of  Augustine,  when  he 
called  the  human  will  the  companion  of  grace,  to  assign  to  it 
any    secondary   office  next  to  grace    in  the    good    work:   but 
with  a  view  to  refute  the  nefarious  dogma  broached  by  Pela- 
gius,    who  made  the  prime  cause  of  salvation  to  consist   in 
human  merit,  he  contends,  what  was  sufficient  for  his  present 
argument,  that  grace  is  prior  to  all  merit;   omitting,  at  this, 
time,  the  other  question  concerning  the  perpetual  efficiency  of 
grace,  which  is  admirably  treated  by  him  on  other  occasions. 
For  when  he  frequently  says,  that  the  Lord  precedes  the  un- 
willing that  he  may  will,  and  follows  the  willing  that  he  may 
not  will  in  vain:  he  makes  him  the  sole  author  of  the  good 
work.   His  language  on  this  subject  is  too  explicit  to  require 
much    argument.    u  Men  labour,"  says   he,    "  to    discover  in 
our  will  something  that  is  our  own,  and  not  derived  from  God: 
and  how  any  such  discovery  can  be  made,  I  know  not."  In 
his  first  book  against  Pelagius  and  Celestius,  where  he  explains 
that   declaration  of   Christ,  "  Every  man  that  hath  heard  of 
the  Father  cometh  unto  me,"  («)  he  says,  that  "the  will  is 
assisted  so  as  to  enable  it  not  only  to  know  its  duty,  but  what 
it  knows  also  to  do."  And  thus  when  God  teacheth  not  by  the 
letter  of  the  law,  but  by  the  grace  of  the  Spirit,  he  teacheth 
in  such  a  manner,  that  whatever  each  one  has  learned,  he  not 
only  sees  in  knowing  it,  but  desires  in  willing,  and  performs 
in  doing. 

VIII.  And  as  we  are  now  engaged  on  the  principal  point 
of  the  argument,  let  us  give  the  treader  a  summary  of  the 
doctrine,  and  prove  it  by  a  few  very  clear  testimonies  of  Scrip- 
ture:  and  then,  that  no  one  may  accuse  us  of  perverting  thr 

(«)  John  vi.  45. 


316  INSTITUTES  OF  THK  [BOOK  n. 

Scripture,  let  us  also  shew  that  the  truth  which  we  assert  toU 
deduced  from  the  Scripture  is  not  destitute  of  the  support  ol 
this  holy  man,  I  mean  Augustine.   For  I  conceive  it  is  unne- 
cessary to  recite  in  regular  order  all  the  passages  which  might 
be  adduced  from  the  Scriptures  in  confirmation  of  our  opinion; 
provided  that  the  selection,  which  shall  be  made,  prepares  a 
way  to  the  understanding  of  all  the  rest,  which  are  frequently 
to  be  found.   Nor  do  I  think  there  will  be  any  impropriety  in 
evincing  my  agreement  with  that  man,  to  whose  authority  the 
consent  of  the  pious  pays  a  great  and  merited  deference.  The 
origin  of  all  good  clearly  appears,  from  a  plain  and  certain 
reason,  to  be  from  no  other    than  from  God    alone;    for   no 
propensity  of  the  will  to  any  thing  good  can  be  found  but  in 
the    elert.   But  the   cause  of  election  must  not  be  sought  in 
men.    Whence  we   may   conclude,  that    man  has  not  a  good 
will  from  himself,  but  that  it  proceeds  from  the  same  decree  by 
which  we  were  elected  before  the  creation  of  the  world.  There 
is  also  another  reason,  not  dissimilar.  For  since  good  volitions 
and  good  actions  both  arise  from  faith,  we  must  see  whence 
faith  itself   originates.      Now   since  the    Scripture    uniformly 
proclaims  it  to  be  the  gratuitous  gift  of  God,  it  follows  that 
it  'is  the  effect  of  mere  grace,  when  we,  who  are  naturally 
and  completely  prone  to  evil,  begin  to  will  any  thing  that  is 
good.  Therefore  the  Lord,  when  he  mentions  these  two  things 
in  the  conversion  of  his  people,  that  he  takes  away  from  them 
their  stony  heart,  and  gives  them  a  heart  of  flesh,  plainly  de- 
clares, that  what  originates  from  ourselves  must  be  removed, 
that  we  may  be  converted  to  righteousness;  and  that  whatever 
succeeds  in  its  place  proceeds  from  himself.    Nor  is  it  only  in 
one  passage  that  he  announces  this:  for  he  says  in  Jeremiah,  "  I 
will  give  them  one  heart  and  one  way,  that  they  may  fear  me  for 
ever."  (o)  And  a  little  after,  "  I  will  put  my  fear  in  their  hearts, 
that  they  shall  not  depart  from  me."  Again  in  Ezekiel,  "  I  will 
give  them  one  heart,  and  I  will  put  a  new  spirit  within  you; 
and  I  will  take  the  stony  heart  out  of  their  flesh,  and  will  give 
them  an  heart  of  flesh."  (/>)  He  could  not  more  evidently  claim 
to  himself  and  take  from  us  all  that  is  good  and  upright  in  our 

(o)  Jer.  xxxli.  5!>.  (/>}  Ezek.  xi.  ID. 


CHAP,  in.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  317 

will,  than  when  he  declares  our  conversion  to  be  the  creation 
of  a  new  spirit  and  of  a  new  heart.  For  it  always  follows, 
that  nothing  good  proceeds  from  our  will  till  it  be  renovated; 
and  that  after  its  renovation,  as  far  as  it  is  good,  it  is  from 
God,  and  not  from  ourselves. 

IX.  And  we  find  the  saints  have  made  this  the  subject  of 
i  prayers.  Solomon  prayed,  "  May  the  Lord  incline  our 
s  unto  him,  to  keep  his  commandments."  (y)  He  shews 
the  stubbornness  of  our  heart,  which,  unless  a  new  bias  be 
given  to  it,  naturally  indulges  itself  in  rebellion  against  the 
Divine  law.  The  same  petition  is  offered  by  the  Psalmist:  "  In- 
cline my  heart  unto  thy  testimonies."  (r)  For  we  should 
always  remark  the  opposition  between  the  perverse  bias  of  the 
heart,  which  inclines  it  to  rebellion,  and  this  correction  which 
constrains  it  to  obedience.  But  when  David,  perceiving  him- 
self to  be  for  a  time  deprived  of  the  direction  of  grace,  prays 
that  God  would  "  create  in"  him  "  a  clean  heart,  and  renew 
a  right  spirit  within  him;"  (.9)  does  he  not  acknowledge  that 
all  the  parts  of  his  heart  are  full  of  impurity,  and  his  spirit 
warped  by  the  obliquity  of  corruption?  and  by  calling  the 
purity  which  he  earnestly  implores,  the  creation  of  God,  does 
he  not  ascribe  it  entirely  to  him?  If  any  one  object,  that  the 
petition  itself  is  a  proof  of  a  pious  and  holy  affection,  the 
answer  is  easy,  that  although  David  had  already  partly  re- 
pented, yet  he  compares  his  former  state  with  that  melan- 
choly fall,  which  he  had  experienced.  Assuming  the  cha- 
racter therefore  of  a  man  alienated  from  God,  he  properly 
requests  for  himself  all  those  things  which  God  confers  on  his 
elect  in  regeneration.  Resembling  a  dead  man,  therefore,  he 
prays  to  be  created  anew,  that  instead  of  being  the  slave  of 
Satan,  he  may  become  the  instrument  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Truly  wonderful  and  monstrous  is  the  extravagance  of  our 
pride.  God  requires  of  us  nothing  more  severe  than  that  we 
most  religiously  observe  his  sabbath,  by  resting  from  our  own 
works:  but  there  is  nothing  which  we  find  more  difficult,  or 
to  which  we  are  more  reluctant,  than  to  bid  farewell  to  our 
own  works  in  order  to  give  the  works  of  God  their  proper 

(r,0  1  Kinps  viii.  5fi.  r>)  Psalm  cxi-x.  36.  (s)  Psalm  li.  10. 


318  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

place.  II  there  were  no  obstacle  arising  from  our  folly,  Christ 
has  given  a  testimony  to  his  graces,  sufficiently  clear  to  pre- 
vent them  from  being  wickedly  suppressed.  u  I  am  the  vine," 
says  he,  "ye  are  the  branches.  My  Father  is  the  husbandman. 
As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the 
vine;  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me.  For  without 
me  ye  can  do  nothing."  (j)  If  we  cannot  bear  fruit  of  our- 
selves, any  more  than  a  branch  can  bud  after  it  is  torn  up  from 
the  ground  and  deprived  of  moisture;  we  must  no  longer 
seek  for  any  aptitude  in  our  nature  to  that  which  is  good. 
There  is  no  ambiguity  in  this  conclusion,  "  Without  me  ye 
can  do  nothing."  He  does  not  say  that  we  are  too  weak  to  be 
sufficient  for  ourselves,  but  reducing  us  to  nothing,  excludes 
every  idea  of  ability,  however  diminutive.  If  being  ingrafted 
into  Christ,  we  bear  fruit  like  a  vine,  which  derives  the  energy 
of  vegetation  from  the  moisture  of  the  earth,  from  the  dew  of 
heaven,  and  from  the  benign  influences  of  the  sun;  I  see  no-% 
thing  of  our  own  remaining  in  any  good  work,  if  we  preserve 
entire  to  God  the  honour  which  belongs  to  him.  It  is  in  vain 
to  urge  that  frivolous  subtlety,  that  the  branch  already  pos- 
sesses sap,  and  a  fructifying  power,  and  that  therefore  it  does 
not  derive  all  from  the  earth,  or  from  the  original  root,  because 
it  contributes  something  of  its  own.  For  the  meaning  of 
Christ  is  clearly  that  we  are  as  a  dry  and  worthless  log,  when 
separated  from  him;  because  independently  of  him  we  have 
no  ability  to  do  good,  as  he  says  also  in  another  place,  "  Even- 
plant,  which  my  heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted,  shall  be 
rooted  up."  (u)  Wherefore  the  Apostle  ascribes  all  the  praise  i<> 
him  in  the  place  already  cited.  "  It  is  God,"  says  he,  "  which 
worketh  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do."  (tt>)  The  first  part  of  a 
good  work  is  a  volition,  the  next  an  effectual  endeavour  to 
perform  it;  God  is  the  author  of  both.  Therefore  we  rob  the 
Lord,  if  we  arrogate  any  thing  to  ourselves  either  in  volition 
or  in  execution.  If  God  were  said  to  assist  the  infirmity  of  our 
will,  then  there  would  be  something  left  to  us:  but  since  he  is 
said  to  produce  the  will,  all  the  good  that  is  in  it  is  placed 
without  us.  And  because  the  good  will  is  still  oppressed  by 

(0  John  xv.  1,  4,  5.  O)  Matt.  xv.  13.  (w)  Phil.  ii.  13. 


CHAP,  in.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  319 

the  burden  of  our  flesh,  so  that  it  cannot  extricate  itself,  he  has 
added,  that  in  struggling  with  the  difficulties  of  that  conflict, 
we  .are  supplied  with  constancy  of  exertion  to  carry  our  voli- 
tions* into  effect.  For  otherwise  there  would  be  no  truth  in 
what  he  elsewhere  teaches,  that  "  it  is  the  same  God  which 
worketh  all  in  all,"  (*')  which  we  have  before  shewn  compre- 
hends the  whole  course  of  the  spiritual  life.  For  which  reason 
David,  after  having  prayed  that  the  way  of  God  may  be  dis- 
covered to  him,  that  he  may  walk  in  his  truth,  immediately 
adds,  "  Unite  my  heart  to  fear  thy  name."  (z/)  In  these  words 
he  intimates,  that  even  good  men  are  subject  to  so  many  dis- 
tractions of  rn^Jy  that  they  soon  wander  and  fall,  unless  they 
are  strengthened  to  persevere.  For  the  same  reason  in  another 
passage,  having  prayed  that  his  steps  might  be  ordered  in  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  he  likewise  implores  strength  for  a  warfare: 
"  Let  not  any  iniquity  have  dominion  over  me."  (z)  In  this 
manner  therefore  the  Lord  both  begins  and  completes  the 
good  work  in  us:  that  it  may  be  owing  to  him,  that  the  will 
conceives  a  love  for  what  is  right,  that  it  is  inclined  to  desire 
it,  and  is  excited  and  impelled  to  endeavour  to  attain  it;  and 
then  that  the  choice,  desire,  and  endeavour  do  not  fail,  but 
proceed  even  to  the  completion  of  the  desired  effect;  lastly, 
that  a  man  proe-eeds  with  constancy  in  them,  and  perseveres 
even  to  the  end. 

X.  And  he  moves  the  will,  not  in  such  a  manner  that,  ac- 
cording to  the  system  maintained  and  believed  for  many  ages, 
it  would  afterwards  be  at  our  option,  either  to  obey  the  im- 
pulse, or  to  resist  it;  but  by  an  efficacious  influence.  The 
observation,  therefore,  so  frequently  repeated  by  Chrysostom, 
that  "  Whom  God  draws,  he  draws  willing,"  we  are  obliged  to 
reject,  being  an  insinuation  that  God  only  waits  for  us  with  his 
hand  extended,  if  we  choose  to  accept  his  assistance.  We  grant 
that  such  was  the  primitive  condition  of  man  during  his  state  of 
integrity,  that  he  could  incline  to  the  one  side  or  the  other: 
but  since  Adam  has  taught  us  by  his  own  example  how  miser 
able  free  will  is,  unless  God  give  vis  bot'i  will  and  power. 
what  will  become  of  us  if  he  impart  his  grace  to  us  in  that 

(x)  1  Cor.-«i.  6.         (j-)  Psalm  Ixxxvi.  U,        (c)  Psalrti  rxix.  133. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

small  proportion?  But  we  obscure  and  diminish  his  grace  by 
our  ingratitude.  For  the  Apcfde  does  not  teach  that  the  grace 
of  a  good  will  is  offered  to  us  for  our  acceptance;  but  that  he 
"  worketh  in  us  to  will;"  which  is  equivalent  to  saying,  that 
the  Lord  by  his  Spirit  directs,  inclines,  and  governs  our  heart, 
and  reigns  in  it  as  in  his  own  possession.  Nor  docs  he  promise 
by  E/ekiel  that  he  will  give  to  the  elect  a  new  spirit,  only  that 
they  may  be  able  to  walk,  but  that  they*  may  actually  walk,  in 
his  precepts,  (a)  Nor  can  the  declaration  of  Christ,  "  Every- 
man that  hath  heard  of  the  Father  cometh  unto  me,"  (£)  be 
understood  in  any  other  sense  than  as  a  proof  of  the  positive 
efficacy  of  divine  grace;  as  Augustine  also  contends.  This 
grace  the  Lord  deigns  not  to  give  to  any  persons  promiscuously, 
according  to  the  observation  commonly  attributed,  if  I  mistake 
not,  to  Occam,  that  it  is  denied. to  no  man,  who  does  what  he 
can.  Men  are  to  be  taught  indeed  that  the  Divine-  benignity 
is_free_to__all  Avho  seek  it,  without  any  exception:  but  since 
none  begin  to  seek  it,  but  those  who  have  been  inspired  lr 
heavenly  grace,  not  even  this  diminutive  portion  ought  to  be- 
taken from  his  praise.  This  is  the  privilege  of  the  elect,  that 
being  regenerated  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  led  and  go- 
verned by  his  direction.  Wherefore  Augustine  as  justly  ridi- 
cules them  who  arrogate  to  themselves  any  part  of  a  good 
volition,  as  he  reprehends  others,  who  suppose  that  to  be  given 
promiscuously  to  all  which  is  the  special  testimony  of  gratuitous 
election.  "  Nature,"  says  he,  "  is  common  to  all  men,  but 
not  grace."  He  calls  it  "  a  transparent  subtlety,  which  shines 
merely  with  vanity,  when  that  is  extended  generally  to  all,  which 
God  confers  on  whom  he  chooses."  But  elsewhere,  "  How 
have  you  come?  by  believing.  Be  afraid,  lest  while  you  arro- 
gate to  yourself  the  discovery  of  the  way  of  righteousness,  you 
perish  from  tile  way  of  righteousness.  I  am  come,  do  you  say, 
by  free  will,  I  am  come  through  my  own  choice?  Why  are 
you  inflated  with  pride?  Will  you  know  that  this  also  is  given 
to  you?  Hear  him  proclaiming,  '  No  man  can  come  to  me. 
except  the  Father  which  hath  sent  me  draw  him.'  (c)  And  it 
incontrovtrtibly  follows,  from  the  words  of  John,  that  the 

(</)  Ezck.  xi.  19,  20.  x*xvi.  ?7  John\i.  45.        fc)  John  vi.  44. 


CKAP.  in.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  321 

hearts  of  the  pious  are  divinely  governed  with  such  effect,  that 
they  follow  with  an  affection  which  nothing  can  alter.  "  Who- 
soever is  born  of  God,"  he  says,  "  cannot  sin:  for  his  seed 
remaineth  in  him."  (</)  For  we  see  that  the  neutral  ineffica- 
cious impulse  imagined  by  the  sophists,  which  every  one 
would  be  at  liberty  to  obey  or  resist,  is  evidently  excluded, 
where  it  is  asserted  that  God  gives  a  constancy  that  is  effectual 
to  perseverance. 

XI.   Concerning    perseverance  there  would    have  been    no 
doubt,  that  it  ought  to  be  esteemed  the  gratuitous  gift  of  God, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  prevalence  of  a  pestilent  error,  that  it 
is  dispensed  according  to  the  merit  of  men,  in  proportion  to 
the  gratitude  which  each  person  has  discovered  for  the  grace 
bestowed  on  him.  But  as  that  opinion  arose  from  the  suppo- 
sition that  it  was  at  our  own  option  to  reject  or  accept  the 
offered  grace  of  God,  this  notion  being  exploded,  the  other 
falls  of  course.  Though  here   is  a  double  error:    for    beside 
teaching  that  our  gratitude  for  the  grace  first  bestowed  on  us, 
and  our  legitimate  use  of  that  grace,  are  remunerated  by  sub- 
sequent  blessings,   they  add  also,  that   now   grace   does   not 
operate  alone  in  us,  but  only  co-operates  with  us.  On  the  first 
point,  we  must  admit  that  the   Lord,  while  he  daily  enriches 
and  loads  his  servants  with  new  communications  of  his  grace, 
perceiving  the  work  which  he  hath  begun  in  them  grateful  and 
acceptable,  discovers  something  in  them  which  he  blesses  with 
still  greater  degrees  of  grace.  And  this  is  implied  in  the  fol- 
lowing  declarations:  "  Unto   every  one    that   hath,    shall    be 
given."  And,  "  Well  done,  good  and    faithful  servant;  thou 
hast  been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over 
many  things."  (i)  But  here  two  errors  must  be  avoided;  the 
legitimate  use  of  the  grace  first  bestowed  must  not  be  said  to 
be  rewarded  Tgj&^ub^guent  decrees  of  yace1 «  tfapuffk  mqp 
by  his  own  industry  rendered   the  grace  of  God  efficacious; 
nor  must  it  be  accounted  a  remuneration  in  such  a  sense  as  to 
cease  to  be  esteemed  the  free  favour  of  God.  I  grant,  then, 
that  this  divine  benediction  is  to  be  expected  by  the  faithful, 
that  the  better  they  have  used  the  former  measures  of  grace. 

(rf)  1  John  iii.  9.        (e)  Matt.  xxv.  23,  29.     I,uke  xir.  17,  26. 
VOL.  L  2  S 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

they  shall  aftrnvards  be  enriched  with  proportionably  greater 
degrees  of  it.  But  I  assert  that  this  use  also  is  from  the  Lords 
and  that  this  remuneration  proceeds  from  his  gratuitous^  1  > 
volence.  They  are  equally  awkward  and  unhappy  in  their  use 
of  the  trite  distinction  of  operating  and  co-operating  grace. 
Augustine  has  used  it  indeed,  but  softens  it  by  a  suitable  de- 
finition; that  God  in  co-operating  completes  what  in  oper- 
ating he  begins,  and  that  it  is  the  same  grace,  but  derives  its 
name  from  the  different  mode  of  its  efficiency.  Whence  it 
follows  that  he  makes  no  partition  of  the  work  between  God 
and  us,  as  though  there  were  a  mutual  concurrence  from  the 
respective  exertions  of  each;  but  that  he  only  designates  the 
multiplication  of  grace.  To  the  same  purpose  is  what  he  else- 
where asserts,  that  the  good  will  of  man  precedes  many  of  the 
gifts  of  God,  but  is  itself  one  of  their  number.  Whence  it 
follows,  that  he  leaves  nothing  for  it  to  arrogate  to  itself.  This 
is  also  particularly  expressed  by  Paul.  For  having  said  that 
"  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do,  (/) 
he  immediately  adds,  that  he  does  both  "  of  his  own  good 
pleasure,"  signifying  by  this  expression  that  these  are  acts  of 
gratuitous  benignity.  Now  to  their  wonted  assertion,  that 
after  we  have  admitted  the  first  grace,  our  own  endeavours 
co-operate  with  the  grace  which  follows,  I  reply,  If  they  mean 
that  after  having  been  once  subdued  by  the  divine  power  to 
the  obedience  of  righteousness,  we  voluntarily  advance,  and 
are  disposed  to  follow  the  guidance  of  grace,  I  make  no  ob- 
jection. For  it  is  very  certain,  that  where  the  grace  of  God 
reigns,  there  is  such  a  promptitude  of  obedience.  But  whence 
does  this  arise  but  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  who,  uniformly  con- 
sistent with  himself,  cherishes  and  strengthens  to  a  constancy 
of  perseverance  that  disposition  of  obedience  which  he  first 
originated?  But  if  they  mean  that  man  derives  from  himself 
an  ability  to  co-operate  with  the  grace  of  God,  they  are  involved 
in  a  most  pestilent  error. 

XII.  And  to  this  purpose  they  falsely  and  ignorantly  per- 
-vert  that  observation  of  the  Apostle,  "  I  laboured  more  abun- 
dantly than  they  all;  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  which 

(/)  Phil.  ii.  13. 


CHAP,  in.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  323 

was  with  me."  (£•)  For  they  understand  it  in  this  manner; 
that  because  his  preference  of  himself  to  all  others  might  ap- 
pear rather  too  arrogant,  he  corrects  it  by  referring  the  praiss 
to  the  grace  of  God;  but  yet  so  as  to  denominate  himself  a 
co-operator  with  grace.  It  is  surprising  that  so  many  men, 
not  otherwise  erroneous,  have  stumbled  at  this  imaginary  diffi- 
culty. For  the  Apostle  does  not  say  that  the  grace  of  God 
laboured  with  him,  to  make  himself  a  partner  in  the  labour; 
but  rather  by  that  correction  ascribes  the  whole  pTaise  of  the 
labour  to  grace  alone.  "  It  is  not  I,"  says  he,  "  that  have 
laboured,  but  the  grace  of  God  which  was  with  me."  They 
have  been  deceived  by  an  ambiguity  of  expression:  but  still 
more  by  a  preposterous  translation  in  which  the  force  of  the 
Greek  article  is  omitted.  For  if  you  translate  it  literally,  he 
says,  not  that  grace  was  co-operative  with  him,  but  that 
the  grace  which  was  with  him  was  the  author  of  all.  And 
the  same  is  maintained  by  Augustine,  though  briefly  yet  with- 
out obscurity,  when  he  thus  expresses  himself:  "  The  good 
will  of  man  precedes  many  of  the  gifts  of  God,  but  not  all. 
But  of  those  which  it  precedes  it  is  itself  one."  Then  follows 
this  reason:  because  it  is  written,  "The  God  of  my  mercy 
shall  prevent  me."  (/*)  And,  "  Mercy  shall  follow  me."  (z)  It 
prevents  the  unwilling,  that  he  may  will;  it  follows  the  willing, 
that  he  may  not  will  in  vain.  With  this  agrees  Bernard,  who 
introduces  the  Church  saying,  "  Draw  me  unwilling,  to  make 
me  willing;  draw  me  inactive,  to  make  me  run." 

XIII.  Now  let  us  hear  Augustine  speak  in  his  own  words, 
lest  the  sophists  of  the  Sorbonne,  those  Pelagians  of  the  present  ,J 
age,  according  to  their  usual  custom,  accuse  us  of  opposing  the 
whole  current  of  antiquity.  In  this  they  imitate  their  father 
Pelagius,  by  whom  Augustine  was  formerly  obliged  to  enter 
into  the  same  field  of  controversy.  In  his  treatise  De  Corr. 
et  Grat.  addressed  to  Valentine,  he  treats  very  much  at  large 
what  I  shall  recite  briefly,  but  in  his  own  words:  "  That  to 
Adam  was  given  the  grace  of  persevering  in  good  if  he  chose; 
that  grace  is  given  to  us  to  will,  and  by  willing  to  overcome 
concupiscence.  That  Adam  therefore  had  the  power  if  he  had 

(5-)  1  Cor.  xv.  1Q.  (A)  Psalm  Ibc.  10.  (»)  Pssdm  xxiii.  6. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

had  the  will,  but  not  the  will  that  he  might  have  the  power; 
but  that  it  is  given  to  us  to  have  both  the  will  and  the  power. 
That  the  primitive  liberty  was  a  power  to  abstain  from  sin,  but 
that  ours  is  much  greater,  being  an  inability  to  commit  sin.  And 
lest  he  should  be  supposed  to  speak  of  the  perfection  to  be 
enjoyed  after  the  attainment  of  a  state  of  immortality,  as  Lom- 
bard misinterprets  his  meaning,  he  presently  removes  this  diffi- 
culty. For  he  says,  the  will  of  the  saints  is  so  inflamed  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  that  they  therefore  have  an  ability,  because  they 
have  such  a  will;  and  that  their  having  such  a  will  proceeds 
from  the  operations  of  God.  For  if,  amidst  such  great  weak- 
ness which  still  requires  "  strength"  to  be  "  made  perfect"  (/£) 
for  the  repressing  of  pride,  they  were  left  to  their  own  will,  so 
as  to  have  ability,  through  the  divine  assistance,  if  they  were 
willing,  and  God  did  not  operate  in  them  to  produce  that  will; 
among  so  many  temptations  and  infirmitie^  their  will  would 
fail,  and  therefore  they  could  not  possibly  persevere.  The 
infirmity  of  the  human  will  then  is  succoured,  that  it  may  be 
invariably  and  inseparably  actuated  by  divine  grace,  and  so, 
notwithstanding  all  its  weakness,  may  not  fail.  He  afterwards 
discusses  more  at  large  liow  our  hearts  necessarily  follow  the 
impulse  of  God;  and  he  asserts  that  the  Lord  draws  men  with 
their  wills,  but  that  those  wills  are  such  as  he  himself  hath 
formed.  Now  we  have  a  testimony  from  the  mouth  of  Augus- 
tine to  the  point  which  we  are  principally  endeavouring  to 
establish;  that  grace  is  not  merely  offered  by  the  Lord  to  be 
either  received  or  rejected,  according  to  the  free  choice  of  each 
individual,  but  that  it  is  grace  which  produces  both  the  choice 
and  the  will  in  the  heart:  so  that  every  subsequent  good  work  is 
the  fruit  and  effect  of  it,  and  that  it  is  obeyed  by  no  other 
will  but  that  which  it  has  produced.  For  this  is  his  language 
also  in  another  place,  That  it  is  grace  alone  which  performs 
every  good  work  in  us. 

XIV.  When  he  observes  that  the  will  is  not  taken  away 
by  grace,  but  only  changed  from  a  bad  one  into  a  good 
one,  and  when  it  is  good,  assisted;  he  only  intends  that  man 
is  not  drawn  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  carried  away 

(>)  2  Cor.  xii.  9. 


CHAP,  in.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  325 

by  an  external  impulse,  without  any  inclination  of  his  mind; 
but  that  he  is  internally  so  disposed  as  to  obey  from  his 
very  heart.  That  grace  is  specially  and  gratuitously  given 
to  the  elect,  he  maintains  in  an  epistle  to  Boniface,  in  the  fol- 
lowing language:  "  We  know  that  the  grace  of  God  is  not 
given  to  all  men:  and  that  to  them  to  whom  it  is  given,  it  is 
given  neither  according  to  the  merits  of  works  nor  according 
to  the  merits  of  will,  but  by  gratuitous  favour:  and  to  those 
to  whom  it  is  not  given,  we  know  that  it  is  not  given  by  the 
righteous  judgment  of  God."  And  in  the  same  epistle  he 
strenuously  combats  that  opinion,  which  supposes  that  sub- 
sequent grace  is  given  to  the  merits  of  men,  because  by  not 
rejecting  the  first  grace  they  shewed  themselves  worthy  of 
it.  For  he  wishes  Pelagius  to  allow  that  grace  is  necessary 
to  us  for  every  one  of  our  actions,  and  is  not  a  retribution 
of  our  works,  that  it  may  be  acknowledged  to  be  pure  grace. 
But  the  subject  cannot  be  comprised  in  a  more  concise  sum- 
mary than  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  his  treatise  addressed  to  Va- 
lentine; where  he  teaches,  that  the  human  will  obtains,  not 
grace  by  liberty,  but  liberty  by  grace:  that  being  impressed  by 
the  same  grace  with  a  disposition  of  delight,  it  is  formed  for 
perpetuity;  that  it  is  strengthened  with  invincible  fortitude; 
that  while  grace  reigns,  it  never  falls,  but,  deserted  by  grace, 
falls  immediately;  that  by  the  gratuitous  mercy  of  the  Lord, 
it  is  converted  to  what  is  good,  and,  being  converted,  perse- 
veres in  it;  that  the  first  direction  of  the  human  will  to  that 
which  is  good,  and  its  subsequent  constancy,  depends  solely  on 
the  will  of  God,  and  not  on  any  merit  of  man.  Thus  there  is 
left  to  man  such  a  free  will,  if  we  choose  to  give  it  that  appella- 
tion, as  he  describes  in  another  place,  that  he  can  neither  be 
converted  to  God  nor  continue  in  God  but  by  grace;  and  that 
all  the  ability  which  he  has  is  derived  from  grace. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

/  he  Operation  of  God  in  the  Hearts  of  Men. 

IT  has  now,  I  apprehend,  been  sufficiently  proved,  that  rnan_ 
is  so  enslaved  I)}  sin,  as  to  be  of  his  own  nature  incapable  of 
an  effort  or  even  an  aspiration  towards  that "wh1ch~Ts  goo3. 
We  have  also  laid  down  a  distinction  between  co-action  and 
necessity,  from  which  it  appears  that  while  he  sins  necessarily, 
he  nevertheless  sins  voluntarily.  But  since,  while  he  is  devoted 
to  the  servitude  of  the  devil,  he  seems  to  be  actuated  by  his 
will,  rather  than  by  his  own,  it  remains  for  us  to  explain  the 
nature  of  both  kinds  of  influence.  There  is  also  this  question 
to  be  resolved,  whether  any  thing  is  to  be  attributed  to  God  in 
evil  actions,  in  which  the  Scripture  intimates  that  some  influ- 
ence of  his  is  concerned.  Augustine  somewhere  compares 
the  human  will  to  a  horse,  obedient  to  the  direction  of  his 
rider:  and  God  and  the  devil  he  compares  to  riders.  "  If  God 
rides  it,  he,  like  a  sober  and  skilful  rider,  manages  it  in  a 
graceful  manner:  stimulates  its  tardiness;  restrains  its  immo- 
derate celerity;  represses  its* wantonness  and  wildness;  tames 
its  perverseness,  and  conducts  it  into  the  right  way.  But  if 
the  devil  has  taken  possession  of  it,  he,  like  a  foolish  and 
wanton  rider,  forces  it  through  pathless  places,  hurries  it  into 
ditches,  drives  it  down  over  precipices,  and  excites  it  to  ob- 
stinacy and  ferocity."  With  this  similitude,  as  no  better  occurs, 
we  will  at  present  be  content.  When  the  will  of  a  natural  man  is 
said  to  be  subject  to  the  power  of  the  devil,  so  as  to  be  directed 
by  it,  the  meaning  is,  not  that  it  resists  and  is  compelled  to  a 
reluctant  submission,  as  masters  compel  slaves  to  an  unwilling 
performance  of  their  commands;  but  that  being  fascinated  by 
the  fallacies  of  Satan,  it  necessarily  submits  itself  to  all  his 
directions.  For  those  w hon i  tin  Lord  does  not  favour  with 
the  government  of  JlisJSpirit,  he  abandons  in  righteous  judg- 
ment to  the  i  of  Satan.  Wherefore  the  Apostle  says, 
that  "the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them 
.which  believe  not,"  who  are  destined  to  destruction,  "lest  the 


CHAP,  iv.l          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  327 

s.  J 

light  of  the  gospel  should  shine  unto  them."  (/)  And  in  ano- 
ther place,  that  he  "  worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedi- 
ence." (m)  The  blinding  of  the  wicked,  and  all  those  enor- 
mities which  attend  it,  are  called  the  works  of  Satan;  the 
cause  of  which  must  nevertheless  be  sought  only  in  the  human 
will,  from  which  proceeds  the  root  of  evil,  and  in  which  rests 
the  foundation  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  that  is,  sin. 

II.  Very  different  in  such  instances  is  the  method  of  the 
divine  operation.  And  that  we  may  have  a  clearer  view  of  it, 
let  us  take  as  an  example  the  calamity  which  holy  Job  suffered 
from  the  Chaldeans,  (n)  The  Chaldeans  massacred  his  shep- 
herds, and  committed  hostile  depredations  on  his  flock.  Now 
the  wickedness  of  their  procedure  is  evident;  yet  in  these 
transactions  Satan  was  not  unconcerned;  for  with  him  the 
history  states  the  whole  affair  to  have  originated.  But  Job 
himself  recognises  in  it  the  work  of  the  Lord,  whom  he  asserts 
to  have  taken  from  him  .those  things  of  which  he  had  been 
plundered  by  the  Chaldeans.  How  can  we  refer  the  same 
action  to  God,  to  Satan,  and  to  man,  as  being  each  the  author 
of  it,  without  either  excusing  Satan  by  associating  him  with 
God,  or  making  God  the  author  of  evil.  Very  easily,  if  we 
examine,  first,  the  end  for  which  the  action  was  designed,  and 
secondly,  the  manner  in  which  it  was  effected.  The  design 
the  Lord  is  to  exercise  the  patience  of  his  servant  by  adversity; 
Satan  endeavours  to  drive  him  to  despair:  the  Chaldeans,  in 

.  * 

defiance  of  law  and  justice,  desire  to  enrich  themselves  by  the 
property  of  another.  So  great  a  diversity  of  design  makes  a 
great  distinction  in  the  action.  There  is  no  less  difference  in 
the  manner.  The  Lord  permits  his  servant  to  be  afflicted  by 
Satan:  the  Chaldeans,  whom  he  commissions  to  execute  his 
purpose,  he  permits  and  resigns  to  the  impulses  of  Satan: 
Satan,  with  his  envenomed  stings,  instigates  the  minds  of  the 
Chaldeans,  otherwise  very  depraved,  to  perpetrate  the  crime: 
they  furiously  rush  into  the  act  of  injustice,  and  overwhelm 
themselves  in  criminality.  Satan  therefore  is  properly  said 
to  work  in  the  reprobate,  in  whom  he  exercises  his  dominion; 
tliat  is,  the  kingdom  of  iniquity.  God  also  is  said  to  work  in 

(02Cor.lv.  4.  (m)Eph.u,2.  (n)  Job  i. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

a  way  proper  to  himself,  because  Satan,  being  the  instrument 
of  his  wrath,  turns  himself  hither  and  thither  at  his  appoint- 
ment and  command,  to  execute  his  righteous  judgments.  Here 
I  allude  not  to  the  universal  influence  of  God,  by  which  all 
creatures  are  sustained,  and  from  which  they  derive  an  ability 
to  perform  whatever  they  do.  I  speak  only  of  that  special  in- 
fluence which  appears  in  every  particular  act.  We  see  then 
ff*4r-«-<thatJthe_same  action  is  without  absurdity  ascribed  to  God,  to 
Satan,  and  to  man:  but  the  variety  in  the  end  and  in  the 
"  manner,  causes  the  righteousness  of  God  to  shine  without  the 
least  blemish,  and  the  iniquity  of  Satan  and  of  man  to  betray 
itself  to  its  own  disgrace. 

III.  The  fathers  are  sometimes  too  scrupulous  on  this  sub- 
ject, and  afraid  of  a  simple  confession  of  the  truth,  lest  they 
should  afford  an  occasion  to  impiety  to  speak  irreverently  and 
reproachfully  of  the  works  of  God.  Though  I  highly  approve 
this  sobriety,  yet  I  think  we  are  in  no  danger,  if  we  simply 
maintain  what  the  Scripture  delivers.  Even  Augustine  at  om 
lime  was  not  free  from  this  scrupulosity;  as  when  he  says  that 
hardening  and  blinding  belong  not  to  the  operation  but  to  the 
prescience  of  God.  But  these  subtleties  are  inconsistent  with 
numerous  expressions  of  the  Scripture,  which  evidently  import 
some  intervention  of  God  beyond  mere  foreknowledge.  And 
Augustine  himself,  in  his  fifth  book  against  Julian,  contends 
very  largely,  that  sins  proceed  not  only  from  the  permission 
or  the  prescience,  but  from  the  power  of  God,  in  order  that 
former  sins  may  thereby  be  punished.  So  also  what  they  ad- 
vance concerning  permission  is  too  weak  to  be  supported. 
God  is  very  frequently  said  to  blind  and  harden  the  reprobate, 
and  to  turn,  incline,  and  influence  their  hearts,  as  I  have  else- 
where more  fully  stated.  But  it  affords  no  explification  of  the 
nature  of  this  influence  to  resort  to  prescience  or  permission. 
We  answer  therefore  that  it  operates  in  two  ways.  For,  since 
when  his  light  is  removed  nothing  remains  but  darkness  and 
blindness;  since  when  hi.s  Spirit  is  withdrawn  our  hearts 
harden  into  stones;  since  when  his  direction  ceases  they  are 
warped  into  obliqui  ;  he  is  properly  said  to  blind,  harden, 
and  incline  those,  whom  he  deprives  of  the  power  of  seeing, 
obeying,  and  acting  aright.  The  second  way,  which  is  much 


CHAP,  iv.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION,  329 

more  consistent  with  strict  propriety  of  language,  is,  when  for 
the  execution  of  his  judgments,  he  by  means  of  Satan,  the 
minister  of  his  wrath,  directs  their  counsels  to  what  he 
pleases,  and  excites  their  wills  and  strengthens  their  efforts. 
Thus  when  Moses  relates  that  Sihon  the  king  would  not  grant 
a  free  passage  to  the  people,  because  God  had  "hardened 
his  spirit,  and  made  his  heart  obstinate,"  he  immediately 
subjoins  the  end  of  God's  design:  "That  he  might  deliver 
him  into  thy  hand."  (0)  Since  God  willed  his  destruction, 
the  obduration  of  his  heart  therefore  was  the  divine  prcpara* 
tion  for  his  ruin. 

IV.  The  following  expressions  seem  to  relate  to  the  former 
method:  "  He  removeth  away  the  speech  of  the  trusty,  and 
taketh  away  the  understanding  of  the  aged.  He  taketh  away 
the  heart  of  the  chief  people  of  the  earth,  and  causeth  them  to 
wander  in  a  wilderness  where  there  is  no  way."  (/>)  Again: 
"  O  Lord,  why  hast  thou  made  us  to  err  from  thy  ways,  and 
hardened  our  heart  from  thy  fear?"  (^)  For  these  passages 
rather  indicate  what  God  makes  men  by  deserting  them,  than 
shew  how  he  performs  his  operations  within  them.  But  there 
are  other  testimonies,  which  go  farther;  as  those  which  relate 
to  the  hardening  of  Pharaoh:  "  I  will  harden  his  (Pharaoh's) 
heart,  that  he  shall  not  let  the  people  go."  (r)  Afterwards  the 
Lord  says,  "  I  have  hardened  his  heart."  (s)  Did  he  harden 
it  by  not  mollifying  it?  That  is  true;  but  he  did  somewhat 
more,  for  he  delivered  his  heart  to  Satan  to  be  confirmed 
in  obstinacy;  whence  he  had  before  said,  "  I  will  harden 
his  heart."  The  people  march  out  of  Egypt;  the  inhabitants 
of  the  country  meet  them  in  a  hostile  manner;  by  whom  were 
they  excited?  Moses  expressly  declared  to  the  people,  that  it 
was  the  Lord  who  had  hardened  their  hearts,  (f)  The  Psalmist 
reciting  the  same  history,  says,  "  He  turned  their  heart  to 
hate  his  people."  (t>)  Now  it  cannot  be  said  that  they  fell  in 
consequence  of  being  neglected  by  the  counsel  of  God.  For 
if  they  are  "hardened"  and  "turned,"  they  are  positively 


(o)  Deut.  ii.  30. 
(r)  Exod.  iv.  21. 
(v)  Psalm  cv.  35. 

VOL.  I. 

(/>)  Jobxii.20,  24. 
(*)  Exod.  vii.  3. 

2T 

((])  Isaiah  Ixii'i.  1 
(()  Dent.  ii.  30. 

330  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

inclined  to  that  point.  Besides,  whenever  it  hath  pleased  him 
to  punish  the  transgressions  of  his  people,  how  hath  he  exe- 
cuted his  work  By  means  of  the  reprobate?  In  such  a  manner 
that  any  one  may  see,  that  the  efficacy  of  the  action  proceeded 
from  him,  and  that  they  were  only  the  ministers  of  his 
will.  Wherefore  he  threatened  sometimes  that  he  would  call 
them  forth  by  hissing,  (tu)  sometimes  that  he  would  use  them 
as  a  net  (A:)  to  entangle,  sometimes  as  a  hammer  (y)  to  strike 
the  people  of  Israel.  But  he  particularly  declared  himself  to 
be  operative  in  them,  when  he  called  Sennacherib  an  axe  (z) 
which  was  both  directed  and  driven  by  his  hand.  Augustine 
somewhere  makes  the  following  correct  distinction:  "that  they 
sin,  proceeds  from  themselves;  that  in  sinning  they  perform 
this  or  that  particular  action,  is  from  the  power  of  God,  who 
divideth  the  darkness  according  to  his  pleasure." 

V.  Now  that  the  ministry  of  Satan  is  concerned  in  insti- 
gating the  reprobate,  whenever  the  Lord  directs  them  hither 
or  thither  by  his  providence,  may  be  sufficiently  proved  even 
from  one  passage.  For  it  is  frequently  asserted  in  Samuel  that 
an  evil  spirit  from  the  Lord  either  agitated  or  quitted  Saul,  (a) 
To  refer  this  to  the  Holy  Spirit  were  impious.  An  impure 
spirit  therefore  is  said  to  be  from  God,  because  it  acts  accord- 
ing to  his  command  and  by  his  power,  being  rather  an  in- 
strument in  the  performance  of  the  action,  than  itself  the 
author  of  it.  We  must  add  also  what  is  advanced  by  Paul, 
that  "  God  shall  send  strong  delusion,  that  they  who  believed 
not  the  truth  should  believe  a  lie."  (b)  Yet  there  is  always  a 
•wide  difference,  even  in  the  same  work,  between  the  operation 
of  God  and  the  attempts  of  Satan  and  wicked  men.  He 
makes  the  evil  instruments,  which  he  has  in  his  hand,  and  can 
turn  as  he  pleases,  to  be  subservient  to  his  justice.  They, 
as  they  are  evil,  produce  the  iniquity  which  the  depravity  of 
their  nature  hath  conceived.  The  other  arguments,  which 
tend  to  vindicate  the  majesty  of  God  from  every  calumny,  and 
to  obviate  the  cavils  of  the  impious,  have  already  been  ad- 

(•w)  Isaiah  v.  26.  vii.  18.  (x)  Ezek.  xii.  13.  xvii.  29. 

(j)Jer.l.  23  (a)  Isaiah  x.  15. 

(«)  1  Sam.  xvi.  14.  xv'ni.  19.  xix.  10.  (b)  2  Thess.  ii.  11,  12. 


CHAP,  iv.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  331 

vanced  in  the  chapter  concerning  Providence.  For  at  present 
I  only  intended  briefly  to  shew  how  Satan  reigns  in  the  re- 
probate man,  and  how  the  Lord  operates  in  them  both. 

VI.  But  what  liberty  man  possesses  in  those  actions  which 
in  themselves  are  neither  righteous  nor  wicked,,  and  pertain 
rather  to  the  corporeal  than  to  the  spiritual  life,  although  we 
have  before  hinted,  has  not  yet  been  explicitly  stated.  Some 
have  admitted  him  in  such  things  to  possess  a  free  choice; 
rather,  as  I  suppose,  from  a  reluctance  to  dispute  on  a  subject 
of  no  importance,  than  from  an  intention  of  positively  assert- 
ing that  which  they  concede.  Now  though  I  grant  that  they 
who  believe  themselves  to  be  possessed  of  no  power  to  justify 
themselves,  believe  what  is  principally  necessary  to  be  known 
in  order  to  salvation;  yet  I  think  that  this  point  also  should 
not  be  neglected,  that  we  may  know  it  to  be  owing  to  the  spe- 
cial favour  of  God,  whenever  our  mind  is  disposed  to  choose 
that  which  is  advantageous  for  us,  whenever  our  will  in- 
clines to  it;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  whenever  our  mind  and 
understanding  avoid  what  would  otherwise  hurt  us.  And  the 
power  of  the  providence  of  God  extends  so  far,  as  not  only 
to  cause  those  events  to  succeed  which  he  foresees  will  be 
best,  but  also  to  incline  the  wills  of  men  to  the  same  objects. 
Indeed  if  we  view  the  administration  of  external  things  with 
our  own  reason,  we  shall  not  doubt  their  subjection  to  the 
human  will;  but  if  we  listen  to  the  numerous  testimonies, 
which  proclaim  that  in  these  things  also  the  hearts  of  men  are 
governed  by  the  Lord,  they  will  constrain  us  to  submit  the 
will  itself  to  the  special  influence  of  God.  Who  conciliated 
the  minds  of  the  Egyptians  towards  the  Israelites,  (c)  so  as  to 
induce  them  to  lend  them  the  most  valuable  of  their  furniture? 
They  would  never  have  been  induced  to  do  this  of  their  own 
accord.  It  follows,  therefore,  that  their  hearts  were  guided  by 
the  Lord  rather  than  by  an  inclination  of  their  own.  And 
Jacob,  if  he  had  not  been  persuaded  that  God  infuses  various 
dispositions  into  men  according  to  his  pleasure,  would  not 
have  said  concerning  his  son  Joseph,  whom  he  thought  to 
be  some  profane  Egyptian,  "  God  Almighty  give  you  mercy 

(c)  Exod.  xi.  3. 


332  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

before  the  man."  (V/)  As  the  whole  Church  confesses  in  the 
Psalms,  when  God  chose  to  compassionate  them,  he  softened 
the  hearts  of  the  cruel  nations  into  clemency.  (^)  Again,  when 
Saul  was  so  inflamed  with  rage,  as  to  prepare  himself  for 
war,  it  is  expressly  mentioned  as  the  cause,  that  he  was  im- 
pelled by  the  Spirit  of  God.  (y)  Who  diverted  the  mind  of 
Absalom  from  adopting  the  counsel  of  Ahitophel,  which  used 
to  be  esteemed  as  an  oracle?  (£•)  Who  inclined  Rehoboam 
to  be  persuaded  by  the  counsel  of  the  young  men?  (A)  Who 
caused  the  nations,  that  before  were  very  valiant,  to  feel  terror 
at  the  approach  of  the  Israelites?  Rahab  the  harlot  confessed 
that  this  was  the  work  of  God.  Who,  on  the  other  hand, 
•dejected  the  minds  of  the  Israelites  with  fear  and  terror,  but 
he  who  had  threatened  in  the  law  that  he  would  "  send  a  faint- 
ness  into  their  hearts?"  (z) 

VII.  Some  one  will  object,  that  these  are  peculiar  examples, 
to  the  rule  of  which  things  ought  by  no  means  universally  to 
be  reduced.  But  I  maintain,  that  they  are  sufficient  to  prove 
that  for  which  I  contend;  that  God,  whenever  he  designs  to 
prepare  the  way  for  his  providence,  inclines  and  moves  the 
wills  of  men  even  in  external  things,  and  that  their  choice  is 
not  so  free,  but  that  its  liberty  is  subject  to  the  will  of  God. 
That  your  mind  depends  more  on  the  influence  of  God,  than 
on  the  liberty  of  your  own  choice,  you  must  be  constrained  to 
conclude,  whether  you  are  willing  or  not,  from  this  daily  ex- 
perience, that  in  affairs  of  no  perplexity  your  judgment  and 
understanding  frequently  fail;  that  in  undertakings  not  arduous 
your  spirits  languish;  on  the  other  hand,  in  things  the  most 
obscure,  suitable  advice  is  immediately  offered;  in  things  great 
and  perilous,  your  mind  proves  superior  to  every  difficulty. 
And  thus  I  explain  the  observation  of  Solomon,  "  The  hearing 
ear,  and  the  seeing  eye,  the  Lord  hath  made  even  both  of 
them."  (£)  For  he  appears  to  me  to  speak  not  of  their  creation, 
but  of  the  peculiar  favour  of  God  displayed  in  their  performing 
their  functions.  When  he  says,  that  "  the  king's  heart  is  in 
the  hand  of  the  Lord;  as  the  rivers  of  water,  he  turneth  it 

(d)  Gen.  xliii.  14.  (e)  Psalm  cvi.  46.  (/)  1  Sam.  xi.  6. 

(g-)  2  Sam.  xvii.  14.  (A)  1  Kings  xii.  10.          (»)  Lev.  xxvi.  36. 

(*)  Prov.  xx.  12. 


CHAP,  iv.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  333 

whithersoever  he  will;"  (/)  under  one  species  he  clearly  com- 
prehends the  whole  genus.  For  if  the  will  of  any  man  be 
free  from  all  subjection,  that  privilege  belongs  eminently  to 
the  will  of  a  king,  which  exercises  a  government  in  some 
measure  over  the  wills  of  others:  but  if  the  will  of  the  king 
be  subject  to  the  power  of  God,  ours  cannot  be  exempted 
from  the  same  authority.  Augustine  has  a  remarkable  passage 
on  this  subject:  "  The  Scripture,  if  it  be  diligently  examined, 
shews,  not  only  that  the  good  wills  of  men,  which  he  turns 
from  evil  into  good,  and  directs  to  good  actions  and  to  eternal 
life,  but  also  that  those  wills  which  relate  to  the  present  life,  are 
subject  to  the  power  of  God,  so  that  he  by  a  most  secret  but 
yet  a  most  righteous  judgment,  causes  them  to  be  inclined 
whither  he  pleases,  and  when  he  pleases,  either  for  the  com- 
munication of  benefits,  or  for  the  infliction  of  punishments. 

VIII.  Here  let  the  reader  remember,  that  the  ability  of  the 
human  will  is  not  to  be  estimated  from  the  event  of  things,  as 
some  ignorant  men  are  preposterously  accustomed  to  do.  For 
they  conceive  themselves  fully  and  ingeniously  to  establish  the 
servitude  of  the  human  will,  because  even  the  most  exalted 
monarchs  have  not  all  their  desires  fulfilled.  But  this  ability, 
of  which  we  speak,  is  to  be  considered  within  man,  and  not  to 
be  measured  by  external  success.  For  in  the  dispute  concern- 
ing free  will  the  question  is  not,  whether  a  man,  notwithstand- 
ing external  impediments,  can  perform  and  execute  whatever 
he  may  have  resolved  in  his  mind,  but  whether  in  every  case 
his  judgment  exerts  freedom  of  choice,  and  his  will  freedom  of 
inclination.  If  men  possess  both  these,  then  Attilius  Regulus, 
when  confined  to  the  small  extent  of  a  cask  stuck  round  with 
nails,  will  possess  as  much  free  will  as  Augustus  Caesar  when 
governing  a  great  part  of  the  world  with  his  nod. 

(0  Prov.  x».  1. 


334  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 


CHAPTER  V. 

A  Refutation  of  the  Objections  commonly  urged  in  Support  of 

Free  Will. 

ENOUGH  might  appear  to  have  been  already  said  on  the 
servitude  of  the  human  will,  did  not  they,  who  endeavour  to 
overthrow  it  with  a  false  notion  of  liberty,  allege  on  the  con- 
trary certain  reasons  in  opposition  to  our  sentiments.  First 
they  collect  together  some  absurdities,  in  order  to  render  it 
odious,  as  if  it  were  abhorrent  to  common  sense;  and  then 
they  attack  it  with  testimonies  of  Scripture.  Both  these  wea- 
pons we  will  repel  in  order.  If  sin,  say  they,  be  necessary,  then 
it  ceases  to  be  sin:  if  it  be  voluntary,  then  it  may  be  avoided. 
These  were  also  the  weapons  used  by  Pelagius  in  his  attacks  of 
Augustine;  with  whose  authority  however  we  wish  not  to 
urge  them,  till  we  shall  have  given  some  satisfaction  on  the 
subject  itself.  I  deny  then  that  sin  is  the  less  criminal  because 
it  is  necessary:  I  deny  also  the  other  consequence,  which  they 
infer,  that  it  is  unavoidable  because  it  is  voluntary.  For  if 
any  one  wish  to  dispute  with  God,  and  to  escape  his  judgment 
by  the  pretext  of  having  been  incapable  of  acting  otherwise:  he 
is  prepared  with  an  answer,  which  we  have  elsewhere  advanced, 
that  it  arises  not  from  creation,  but  from  the  corruption  of 
nature,  that  men  being  enslaved  by  sin  can  will  nothing  but 
what  is  evil.  For  whence  proceeded  that  impotence,  of  which 
the  ungodly  would  gladly  avail  themselves,  but  from  Adam 
voluntarily  devoting  himself  to  the  tyranny  of  the  devil?  Hence 
therefore  the  corruption,  with  which  we  are  firmly  bound;  it 
originated  in  the  revolt  of  the  first  man  from  his  Maker?  If 
all  men  are  justly  accounted  guilty  of  this  rebellion,  let  them 
not  suppose  themselves  excused  by  necessity,  in  which  very 
thing  they  have  a  most  evident  cause  of  their  condemna- 
tion. And  this  I  have  before  clearly  explained,  and  have 
given  an  example  in  the  devil  himself,  which  shews,  that 
he  who  sins  necessarily,  sins  no  less  voluntarily;  and  also  in 
the  elect  angels,  whose  will,  though  it  cannot  swerve  from  what 
is  good,  ceases  not  to  be  a  will.  Bernard  also  judiciously 


CHAP,  v.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  335 

inculcates  the  same  doctrine,  that  we  are  therefore  the  more 
miserable  because  our  necessity  is  voluntary;  which  yet  con- 
strains us  to  be  so  devoted  to  it,  that  we  are,  as  we  have  already 
observed,  the  slaves  of  sin»  The  second  branch  of  their  argu- 
ment is  erroneous;  because  it  makes  an  improper  transition 
from  what  is  voluntary  to  what  is  free;  but  we  have  before 
evinced,  that  a  thing  may  be  done  voluntarily,  which  yet  is 
not  the  subject  of  free  choice. 

II.  They  add,  that  unless  both  virtues  and  vices  proceed 
from  the  free  choice  of  the  will,  it  is  not  reasonable  either  that 
punishments  should  be  inflicted,  or  that  rewards  should  be 
conferred  on  man.  This  argument,  though  first  advanced  by 
Aristotle,  yet  I  grant  is  used  on  some  occasions  by  Chrysostom 
and  Jerome.  That  it  was  familiar  to  the  Pelagians  however, 
Jerome  himself  does  not  dissemble,  but  even  relates  their  own 
words:  "  If  the  grace  of  God  operates  in  us,  then  the  crown 
will  be  given  to  grace,  not  to  us  who  labour."  In  regard  to 
punishments,  I  reply,  that  they  are  justly  inflicted  on  us,  from 
whom  the  guilt  of  sin  proceeds.  For  of  what  importance  is  it, 
whether  sin  be  committed  with  a  judgment  free  or  enslaved,  so 
it  be  committed  with  the  voluntary  bias  of  the  passions:  espe- 
cially as  man  is  proved  to  be  a  sinner,  because  he  is  subject 
to  the  servitude  of  sin?  With  respect  to  rewards  of  righ- 
teousness, where  is  the  great  absurdity,  if  we  confess  that  they 
depend  rather  on  the  divine  benignity  than  on  our  own  merits? 
How  often  does  this  recur  in  Augustine,  "  That  God  crowns 
not  our  merits,  but  his  own  gifts;  and  that  they  are  called  re- 
wards, not  as  though  they  were  due  to  our  merits,  but  because 
they  are  retributions  to  the  graces  already  conferred  on  us?" 
They  discover  great  acuteness  in  this  observation,  that  there 
remains  no  room  for  merits,  if  they  originate  not  from  free  will; 
but  in  their  opinion  of  the  erroneousness  of  our  sentiment  they 
are  greatly  mistaken.  For  Augustine  hesitates  not  on  all  occa- 
sions to  inculcate  as  certain,  what  they  think  it  impious  to 
acknowledge:  as  where  he  says,  "  What  are  the  merits  of  any 
man?  When  he  comes  not  with  a  merited  reward,  but  with 
free  grace,  he  alone  being  free  and  a  deliverer  from  sins,  finds 
all  men  sinners."  Again:  "  If  you  receive  what  is  your  due, 
you  must  be  punished.  What  then  is  done?  God  hath  given 


336  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

you  not  merited  punishment,  but  unmerited  grace.  If  you 
wish  to  be  excluded  from  grace,  boast  your  merits."  Again: 
"  You  are  nothing  of  yourself;  sins  are  yours,  merits  belong 
to  God;  you  deserve  punishment;  and  when  you  come  to  be 
rewarded,  he  will  crown  his  own  gifts,  not  your  merits."  In  the 
same  sense  he  elsewhere  teaches  that  grace  proceeds  not  from 
merit,  but  merit  from  grace.  And  a  little  after  he  concludes, 
that  God  with  his  gifts  precedes  all  merits,  that  thence  he  may 
elicit  his  other  merits,  and  gives  altogether  freely,  because  he 
discovers  nothing  as  a  cause  of  salvation.  But  what  necessity  is 
there  for  further  quotations,  when  his  writings  are  full  of 
such  passages?  But  the  Apostle  will  even  better  deliver  them 
from  this  error,  if  they  will  hear  from  what  origin  he  de- 
duces the  glory  of  the  saints.  "  Whom  he  did  predestinate, 
them  he  also  called:  and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justi- 
fied: and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified."  (rn)  Why 
then,  according  to  the  Apostle,  are  the  faithful  crowned?  Be- 
cause by  the  mercy  of  the  Lord,  and  not  by  their  own  industry, 
they  are  elected,  and  called,  and  justified.  Farewell,  then,  this 
vain  fear,  that  there  will  be  an  end  of  all  merits  if  free  will  be 
overturned.  For  it  is  a  proof  of  extreme  folly,  to  be  terrified 
and  to  fly  from  that  to  which  the  Scripture  calls  us:  "  If," 
says  he,  "  thou  didst  receive  it,  why  dost  thou  glory,  as  if  thou 
hadst  not  received  it?"  (ri)  You  see  that  he  divests  free  will 
of  every  thing  with  the  express  design  of  leaving  no  room  for 
merits.  But  yet,  the  beneficence  and  liberality  of  God  being 
inexhaustible  and  various,  those  graces  which  he  confers  on  us, 
because  he  makes  them  ours,  he  rewards,  just  as  if  they  were 
our  own  virtues. 

III.  They  farther  allege  what  may  appear  to  be  borrowed 
from  Chrysostom,  that  if  our  will  has  not  this  ability  to  choose 
good  or  evil,  the  partakers  of  the  same  nature  must  be  either 
all  evil  or  all  good.  And  not  very  far  from  this  is  the  writer, 
whoever  he  was,  of  the  treatise,  On  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles, 
which  is  circulated  under  the  name  of  Ambrose,  when  he 
argues,  that  no  man  would  ever  recede  from  the  faith,  unless 
the  grace  of  God  left  us  the  condition  of  mutability.  In  which 

(m)  Rom.  viii.  39.  (n)  1  Cor.  iv.  7. 


CHAP,  v.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  337 

it  is  surprising  that  such  great  men  were  so  inconsistent  with 
themselves.  For  how  did  it  not  occur  to  Chrysostom,  that  it 
is  the  election  of  God,  which  makes  this  difference  between 
men?  We  are  not  afraid  to  allow,  what  Paul  very  strenuously 
asserts,  that  all,  without  exception,  are  depraved  and  addicted 
to  wickedness;  but  with  him  we  add,  that  the  mercy  of  God 
does  not  permit  all  to  remain  in  depravity.  Therefore,  since 
we  all  naturally  labour  under  the  same  disease,  they  alone 
recover  to  whom  the  Lord  hath  been  pleased  to  apply  his 
healing  hand.  The  rest,  whom  he  passeth  by  in  righteous 
judgment,  putrefy  in  their  corruption  till  they  are  entirely  con- 
sumed. And  it  is  from  the  same  cause,  that  some  persevere  to 
the  end,  and  others  decline  and  fall  in  the  midst  of  their  course. 
For  perseverance  itself  also  is  a  gift  of  God,  which  he  bestows 
not  on  all  men  promiscuously,  but  imparts  to  whom  he  pleases. 
If  we  inquire  the  cause  of  the  difference,  why  some  persevere 
with  constancy,  and  others  fail  through  instability,  no  other 
can  be  found,  but  that  God  sustains  the  former  by  his  power 
that  they  perish  not,  and  does  not  communicate  the  same 
strength  to  the  latter,  that  they  may  be  examples  of  incon- 
stancy. 

IV.  They  urge  farther,  that  exhortations  are  given  in  vain, 
that  the  use  of  admonitions  is  superfluous,  and  that  reproofs 
are  ridiculous,  if  it  be  not  in  the  power  of  the  sinner  to  obey. 
When  similar  objections  were  formerly  made  to  Augustine,  he 
was  obliged  to  write  his  treatise  On  Correction  and  Grace:  in 
which,  though  he  copiously  refutes  them,  he  calls  his  adver- 
saries to  this  conclusion:  "  O  man,  in  the  commandment  learn 
what  is  your  duty;  in  correction  learn,  that  through  your  own 
fault  you  have  it  not;  in  prayer  learn  whence  you  may  receive 
what  you  wish  to  enjoy."  There  is  nearly  the  same  argument 
in  the  treatise  On  the  Spirit  and  Letter,  in  which  he  maintains 
that  God  does  not  regulate  the  precepts  of  his  law  by  the 
ability  of  men,  but  when  he  hath  commanded  what  is  right, 
freely  gives  to  his  elect  ability  to  perform  it.  This  is  not  a 
subject  that  requires  a  prolix  discussion.  First,  We  are  not 
alone  in  this  cause,  but  have  the  support  of  Christ  and  all  the 
apostles.  Let  our  opponents  consider  how  they  can  obtain  the 
superiority  in  a  contest  with  such  antagonists.  Does  Christ, 

VOL.  I.  2  U 


38*  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

who  declares  that  without  him  we  can  do  nothing,  (o)  on  that 
account  the  less  reprehend  and  punish  those  who  without  him 
do  what  is  evil?  Does  he  therefore  relax  in  his  exhortations  to 
every  man  to  practise  good  works?  How  severely  does  Paul 
censure  the  Corinthians  for  their  neglect  of  charity!  (/>)  Yet 
he  earnestly  prays  that  charity  may  be  given  them  by  the  Lord. 
In  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans  he  declares  that  "  it  is  not  of  him 
that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  sheweth 
mercy:"  (y)  yet  afterwards  he  refrains  not  from  the  use  of  ad- 
monition, exhortation,  and  reproof.  Why  do  they  not  there- 
fore remonstrate  with  the  Lord,  not  to  lose  his  labour  in  such  a 
manner,  by  requiring  of  men  those  things  which  he  alone  can 
bestow,  and  punishing  those  things  which  are  committed  for 
want  of  his  grace?  Why  do  they  not  admonish  Paul  to  spare 
those,  who  are  unable  to  will  or  run  without  the  previous  mercy 
of  God,  of  which  they  are  now  destitute?  As  though  truly  the 
Lord  had  not  the  best  reason  for  his  doctrine,  which  readily 
presents  itself  to  those  who  religiously  seek  it.  Paul  clearly 
shews  how  far  doctrine,  exhortation,  and  reproof,  can  of  them- 
selves avail  towards  producing  a  change  of  heart,  when  he  says 
that  "neither  is  he  that  planteth  any  thing,  neither  he  that 
watereth;  but"  that  the  efficacy  is  solely  from  "  God  that 
giveth  the  increase."  (r)  Thus  we  see  that  Moses  severely 
sanctions  the  precepts  of  the  law,  and  the  prophets  earnestly 
urge  and  threaten  transgressors:  whilst  nevertheless  they 
acknowledge,  that  men  never  begin  to  be  wise  till  a  heart  is 
given  them  to  understand;  that  it  is  the  peculiar  work  of  God 
to  circumcise  the  heart,  and  instead  of  a  stony  heart  to  give  a 
heart  of  flesh;  to  inscribe  his  law  in  men's  minds;  in  a  word, 
to  render  his  doctrine  effectual  by  a  renovation  of  the  soul. 

V.  What  then,  it  will  be  inquired,  is  the  use  of  exhortations? 
I  reply;  if  the  impious  despise  them  with  obstinate  hearts, 
they  will  serve  for  a  testimony  against  them,  when  they  shall 
come  to  the  tribunal  of  the  Lord;  and  even  in  the  present  state 
they  wound  their  consciences;  for  however  the  most  audacious 
person  may  deride  them,  he  cannot  disapprove  of  them  in 
his  heart.  But  it  will  be  said,  what  can  a  miserable  sinner  do, 

(o)  John  xv.  5.  (/;)  1  Cor.  iii.  3. 

(7)  Rom.  ix.  16  (r)  1  Cor.  iii.  7. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  339 

if  the  softness  of  heart,  which  is  necessary  to  obedience,  be 
denied  him?  I  ask,  what  excuse  can  he  plead,  seeing  that  he 
cannot  impute  the  hardness  of  his  heart  to  any  one  but  himself? 
The  impious  therefore,  who  are  ready  if  possible  to  ridicule  the 
Divine  precepts  and  exhortations,  are,  in  spite  of  their  own  in- 
clinations, confounded  by  their  power.  But  the  principal 
utility  should  be  considered  in  regard  to  the  faithful,  in  whom 
as  the  Lord  performs  all  things  by  his  Spirit,  so  he  neglects 
not  the  instrumentality  of  his  word,  but  uses  it  with  great 
efficacy.  Let  it  be  allowed  then,  as  it  ought  to  be,  that  all  the 
strength  of  the  pious  consists  in  the  grace  of  God,  according 
to  this  expression  of  the  prophet,  "  I  will  give  them  a  new 
heart,  that  they  may  walk  in  my  statutes."  (s)  But  you  will 
object,  Why  are  they  admonished  of  their  duty,  and  not  rather 
left  to  the  direction  of  the  Spirit?  Why  are  they  importuned, 
with  exhortations,  when  they  cannot  make  more  haste  than  is 
produced  by  the  impulse  of  the  Spirit?  Why  are  they  chas- 
tised, if  they  have  ever  deviated  from  the  right  way,  seeing  that 
they  erred  through  the  necessary  infirmity  of  the  flesh?  I  re- 
ply, Who  art  thou,  O  man,  that  wouldest  impose  laws  upon 
God?  If  it  be  his  will  to  prepare  us  by  exhortation  for  the 
reception  of  this  grace,  by  which  obedience  to  the  exhortation 
is  produced,  what  have  you  to  censure  in  this  oeconomy?  If 
exhortations  and  reproofs  were  of  no  other  advantage  to  the 
pious,  than  to  convince  them  of  sin,  they  ought  not  on  that 
account  to  be  esteemed  wholly  useless.  Now  since  by  the  in- 
ternal operation  of  the  Spirit,  they  are  most  effectual  to  inflame 
the  heart  with  a  love  of  righteousness,  to  shake  off  sloth,  to 
destroy  the  pleasure  and  poisonous  sweetness  of  iniquity,  and 
on  the  contrary  to  render  it  hateful  and  burdensome;  who  can 
dare  to  reject  them  as  superfluous?  If  any  one  would  desire 
a  plainer  answer,  let  him  take  it  thus:  The  operations  of  God 
on  his  elect  are  twofold;  internally  by  his  Spirit,  externally 
by  his  word.  By  his  Spirit  illuminating  their  minds  and  form- 
ing their  hearts  to  the  love  and  cultivation  of  righteousness, 
he  makes  them  new  creatures.  By  his  word  he  excites  them 
t»  desire,  seek,  and  obtain  the  same  renovation.  In  both  he 

0)Ezek.xi.  19,  29. 


340  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

displays  the  efficacy  of  his  power,  according  to  the  mode  of 
his  dispensation.  When  he  addresses  the  same  word  to  the 
reprobate,  though  it  produces  not  their  correction,  yet  he 
makes  it  effectual  for  another  purpose,  that  they  may  be  con- 
founded by  the  testimony  of  their  consciences  now,  and  be  ren- 
dered more  inexcusable  at  the  day  of  judgment.  Thus  Christ, 
though  he  pronounces  that  "  no  man  can  come  to  him,  except 
the  Father  draw  him,"  and  that  the  elect  come  when  they  have 
*'  heard  and  learned  of  the  Father;"  (?)  yet  himself  neglects 
not  the  office  of  a  teacher,  but  with  his  own  mouth  sedulously 
invites  those,  who  need  the  internal  teachings  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  enable  them  to  derive  any  benefit  from  his  instruc- 
tions. With  respect  to  the  reprobate,  Paul  suggests  that 
teaching  is  not  useless,  because  it  is  to  them  "  the  savour  of 
death  unto  death,"  but  "  a  sweet  savour  unto  God."  (t>) 

VI.  Our  adversaries  are  very  laborious  in  collecting  testi- 
monies of  Scripture;  and  this  with  a  view,  since  they  cannot 
refute  us  with  their  weight,  to  overwhelm  us  with  their  num- 
ber. But  as  in  battles,  when  armies  come  to  close  combat,  the 
weak  multitude,  whatever  pomp  and  ostentation  they  may  dis- 
play, are  soon  defeated  and  routed;  so  it  will  be  very  easy  for 
us  to  vanquish  them  with  all  their  multitude.  For  as  all  the  pas- 
sages, which  they  abuse  in  their  opposition  to  us,  when  properly 
classed  and  distributed,  centre  in  a  very  few  topics,  one  answer 
will  be  sufficient  for  many  of  them;  it  will  not  be  necessary  to 
dwell  on  a  particular  explication  of  each.  Their  principal  argu- 
ment they  derive  from  the  precepts;  which  they  suppose  to  be 
so  proportioned  to  our  ability,  that  whatever  they  can  be  proved 
to  require,  it  necessarily  follows  we  are  capable  of  performing. 
They  proceed  therefore  to  a  particular  detail  of  them,  and  by 
them  measure  the  extent  of  our  strength.  Either,  say  they,  God 
mocks  us,  when  he  commands  holiness,  piety,  obedience,  chas- 
tity, love,  and  meekness,  and  when  he  forbids  impurity,  idola- 
try, unchastity,  anger,  robbery,  pride,  and  the  like:  or  he  re- 
quires only  such  things  as  we  have  power  to  perform.  Now 
almost  all  the  precepts,  which  they  collect,  may  be  distributed 
jnto  three  classes.  Some  require  the  first  conversion  to  God} 

(0  John  vL  44,  45.  (i>)  2  Cor.  ii.  16. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  341 

others  simply  relate  to  the  observation  of  the  law;  others  en- 
join perseverance  in  the  grace  of  God  already  received.  Let 
us  first  speak  of  them  all  in  general,  and  then  proceed  to  the 
particulars.  To  represent  the  ability  of  man  as  co-extensive 
with  the  precepts  of  the  Divine  law,  has  indeed  for  a  long  time 
not  been  unusual,  and  has  some  appearance  of  plausibility;  but 
it  ha»  proceeded  from  the  grossest  ignorance  of  the  law.  For 
those  who  think  it  an  enormous  crime  to  say  that  the  ob- 
servation of  the  law  is  impossible,  insist  on  this  very  cogent 
argument,  that  otherwise  the  law  was  given  in  vain.  For  they 
argue  just  as  if  Paul  had  never  said  any  thing  concerning 
the  law.  But  pray  what  is  the  meaning  of  these  expres- 
sions: "  The  law  was  added  because  of  transgressions;" 
"  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin;"  "  the  law  worketh 
wrath;"  "  the  law  entered  that  the  offence  might  abound?"  (TV) 
Do  they  imply  a  necessity  of  its  being  limited  to  our  ability, 
that  it  might  not  be  given  in  vain?  Do  they  not  rather 
shew  that  it  was  placed  far  beyond  our  ability,  in  order  to 
convince  us  of  our  impotence?  According  to  the  definition 
of  the  same  apostle,  "  the  end  of  the  commandment  is  cha- 
rity." (#)  But  when  he  wishes  the  minds  of  the  Thessalonians 
to  "  abound  in  love,"  (z/)  he  plainly  acknowledges  that  the  law 
sounds  in  our  ears  in  vain,  unless  God  inspire  the  principles 
of  it  into  our  hearts. 

VII.  Indeed,  if  the  Scripture  taught  only  that  the  law  is  the 
rule  of  life,  to  which  our  conduct  ought  to  be  conformed,  I 
would  immediately  accede  to  their  opinion.  But  since  it  care- 
fully and  perspicuously  states  to  us  various  uses  of  the  law,  it 
will  be  best  to  consider  the  operation  of  the  law  in  man  accord- 
ing to  that  exposition.  As  far  as  relates  to  the  present  argu- 
ment, when  it  has  prescribed  any  thing  to  be  performed  by  us, 
it  teaches  that  the  power  of  obedience  proceeds  from  the  good- 
ness of  God,  and  therefore  invites  us  to  pray  that  it  may  be 
given  us.  If  there  were  only  a  commandment,  and  no  promise, 
there  would  be  a  trial  of  the  sufficiency  of  our  strength  to 
obey  the  commandment;  but  since  the  commands  are  con- 
nected with  promises,  which  declare  that  we  must  derive  not 

(TO)  Gal.  iii.  19.    Rom.  in.  20.  iv.  15.    v.  20. 

(x)  1  Tim.  i.  5.  (  v)  1  Thess.  iii.  12. 


342  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

only  subsidiary  power,  but  our  whole  strength  from  the  assist- 
ance of  Divine  grace,  they  furnish  abundant  evidence  that  we 
are  not  only  unequal  to  the  observation  of  the  law,  but  altogether 
incapable  of  it.  Wherefore  let  them  no  more  urge  the  propor- 
tion of  our  ability  to  the  precepts  of  the  law,  as  though  the  Lord 
had  regulated  the  standard  of  righteousness,  which  he  designed 
to  give  in  the  law,  according  to  the  measure  of  our  imbecility. 
It  should  rather  be  concluded  from  the  promises,  how  unpre- 
pared we  are  of  ourselves,  since  we  stand  in  such  universal 
need  of  his  grace.  But  will  it,  say  they,  be  credited  by  any, 
that  the  Lord  addressed  his  law  to  stocks  and  stones?  I  reply 
that  no  one  will  attempt  to  inculcate  such  a  notion.  For 
neither  are  the  impious,  stocks  or  stones,  when  they  are  taught 
by  the  law  the  contrariety  of  their  dispositions  to  God,  and  are 
convicted  of  guilt  by  the  testimony  of  their  own  minds;  nor 
the  pious,  when  admonished  of  their  own  impotence,  they  have 
recourse  to  the  grace  of  God.  To  this  purpose  are  the  following 
passages  from  Augustine:  "  God  gives  commands  which  we 
cannot  perform,  that  we  may  know  what  we  ought  to  request 
of  him.  The  utility  of  the  precepts  is  great,  if  only  so  much 
be  given  to  free  will,  that  the  grace  of  God  may  receive  the 
greater  honour.  Faith  obtains  what  the  law  commands;  and 
the  law  therefore  commands,  that  faith  may  obtain  that  which 
is  commanded  by  the  law:  moreover  God  requires  faith  itself 
of  us,  and  finds  not  what  he  requires,  unless  he  has  given  what 
he  finds."  Again, "  Let  God  give  what  he  enjoins,  and  let  him 
enjoin  what  he  pleases." 

VIII.  This  will  more  clearly  appear  in  an  examination  of 
the  three  kinds  of  precepts  which  we  have  already  mentioned. 
The  Lord,  both  in  the  law  and  in  the  prophets,  frequently 
commands  us  to  be  converted  to  him;  (2)  but  the  prophet,  on 
the  other  hand,  says,  "  Turn  thou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned." 
"  After  that  I  was  turned,  I  repented,"  &c.  (a)  He  commands 
us  to  circumcise  our  hearts;  but  he  announces  by  Moses,  that 
this  circumcision  is  the  work  of  his  own  hand.  (£)  He  fre- 
quently requires  newness  of  heart;  but  elsewhere  declares  that 
this  is  his  own  gift,  (c)  "  What  God  promises,"  as  Augustine 

(3)  Joel  ii.  12-  (fl)  Jer.  xxxi.  18,  19. 

(*)  Deut.  x.  16.  and  xxx.  6.  (c)  J«r.ir.  4.  Ezck.  xxxvi.  26. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  343 

aays,  "  we  do  not  perform  ourselves  through  free  will  or  nature; 
but  he  does  it  himself  by  his  grace."  And  this  is  the  observa- 
tion to  which  he  himself  assigns  the  fifth  place  in  his  enumera- 
tion of  Ticonius's  rules  of  Christian  doctrine;  that  we  should 
make  a  proper   distinction  between  the  law  and  the  promises, 
or  between  the  commandments  and  grace.  This  may  suffice,  in 
answer  to  those  who  from  the  precepts  infer  an  ability  in  man  to 
obey  them,  that  they  may  destroy  the  grace  of  God,  by  which 
those  very  precepts  are  fulfilled.    The  precepts  of  the  second 
class  are  simple,  enjoining  on  us  the  worship  of  God,  con- 
stant submission  to  his  will,  observance  of  his  commands,  and 
adherence  to  his  doctrine.  But  there  are  innumerable  passages, 
which  prove  that  the  highest  degree  of  righteousness,  sanctity, 
piety,  and  purity,  capable  of  being  attained,  is  his  own  gift. 
Of  the  third  class  is  that  exhortation  of  Paul  and  Barnabas  to 
the  faithful,  mentioned  by  Luke,  "  to  continue  in  the  grace  of 
God."(</)  But  whence  the  grace  of  perseverance  should  be 
sought,  the  same  Apostle  informs  us,  when  he  says:  "  Finally, 
my    brethren,    be  strong  in  the   Lord."  (e)  In  another  place 
he  cautions  us  to  *'  grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  whereby 
ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of  redemption."  (y)  But  because 
what  he  there  requires  could  not  be  performed  by  men,  he 
prays  for  the  Thessalonians,  "  that  our  God  would  count  them 
worthy  of  this  calling,  and  fulfil  all  the  good  pleasure  of  his 
goodness,  and  the  work  of  faith  with  power."  (_§•)  Thus  als© 
in  the  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  treating  of  alms,  he 
frequently  commends  their  benevolent  and  pious  disposition;  (//) 
yet  a  little  after  he  gives  thanks  to  God  for  having  inclined 
the  heart  of  Titus  to  "  accept"  or  undertake  "  the  exhorta- 
tion."   If  Titus  could  not  even  use  his  own  tongue  to  exhort 
others   without  having  been  prompted  by  God,  how  should 
others  have  been  inclined   to   act,  unless   God    himself  had 
directed  their  hearts? 

IX.  Our  more  subtle  adversaries  cavil  at  all  these  testimonies, 
because  there  is  no  impediment,  they  say,  that  prevents  our  ex- 
erting our  own  ability,  and  God  assisting  our  weak  efforts.  They 
adduce  also  passages  from  the  prophets,  where  the  accomplish- 

(rf)  Acts  xiii.  43.  (e)  Eph.  vi.  10.  (/)  Eph.  iv.  SO. 

(g )  2  Thess.  i.  11  (A)  2  Cor.  vni.  I,  &c. 


344  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  it. 

ment  of  our  conversion  seems  to  be  divided  equally  between 
God  and  us.  "  Turn  ye  unto  me,  and  I  will  turn  unto  you."  (i) 
What  assistance  we  receive  from  the  Lord,  has  already  been 
slu-wn,  and  needs  not  to  be  repeated  here.  I  wish  only  this 
single  point  to  be  conceded  to  me,  that  it  is  in  vain  to  infer  our 
possession  of  ability  to  fulfil  the  law  from  God's  command  to 
us  to  obey  it:  since  it  is  evident,  that  for  the  performance  of 
all  the  Divine  precepts,  the  grace  of  the  Legislator  is  both 
necessary  for  us,  and  promised  to  us;  and  hence  it  follows, 
that  at  least  more  is  required  of  us  than  we  are  capable  of  per- 
forming. Nor  is  it  possible  for  any  cavils  to  explain  away  that 
passage  of  Jeremiah,  which  assures  us,  that  the  covenant  of 
God,  made  with  his  ancient  people,  was  frustrated  because  it 
was  merely  a  literal  one;  (/£)  and  that  it  can"  only  be  confirmed 
by  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  who  forms  the  heart  to  obedi- 
ence. Nor  does  their  error  derive  any  support  from  this 
passage:  "  Turn  ye  unto  me,  and  I  will  turn  unto  you."  For 
this  denotes,  not  that  turning  of  God  in  which  he  renovates 
our  hearts  to  repentance,  but  that  in  which  he  declares  his 
benevolence  and  kindness  by  external  prosperity;  as  by  adver- 
sity he  sometimes  manifests  his  displeasure.  When  the  people 
of  Israel  therefore,  after  having  been  harassed  with  miseries 
and  calamities  under  various  forms,  complained  that  God  was 
departed  from  them,  he  replies  that  his  benignity  will  not  fail 
them,  if  they  return  to  rectitude  of  life,  to  himself  who  is  the 
standard  of  righteousness.  The  passage  then  is  miserably  per- 
verted, when  it  is  made  to  represent  the  work  of  conversion 
as  divided  between  God  and  men.  We  have  observed  the 
greater  brevity  on  these  points,  because  it  will  be  a  more 
suitable  place  for  this  argument  when  we  treat  of  the  Law. 

X.  The  second  description  of  arguments  is  nearly  allied  to 
the  first.  They  allege  the  promises,  in  which  God  covenants 
with  our  will:  such  as,  "  Seek  good,  and  not  evil,  that  ye  may 
live."  "  If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient,  ye  shall  eat  the  good  of 
the  land:  but  if  ye  refuse  and  rebel,  ye  shall  be  devoured  with 
the  sword:  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it."  (/) 
Again,  "  If  thou  wilt  put  away  thine  abominations  out  of  my 

(i)  Zech.  i.  3.        (*)  Jer.  xxxi.  32.        (/)  Amos  v.  14.  Isaiah  i.  19,  20. 


£HAP.  v.J  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  345 

sight,  then  shalt  them  not  remove."  "  If  thou  shalt  hearken 
diligently  unto  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  observe  and 
to  do  all  his  commandments  which  I  command  thee  this  day, 
the  Lord  thy  God  will  set  thee  on  high  above  all  nations  of  the 
earth:"  (in)  and  other  similar  passages.  They  consider  it  an  ab- 
surdity and  mockery,  that  the  benefits  which  the  Lord  offers 
in  the  promises  are  referred  to  our  will,  unless  it  be  in  our 
power  either  to  confirm  or  to  frustrate  them.  And  truly  it  is 
very  easy  to  amplify  this  subject  with  eloquent  complaints, 
that  we  are  cruelly  mocked  by  the  Lord,  when  he  announces 
that  his  benignity  depends  on  our  will,  if  that  will  be  not  in 
our  own  power;  that  this  would  be  egregious  liberality  in  God, 
to  present  his  benefits  to  us  in  such  a  manner,  that  we  should 
have  no  power  to  enjoy  them;  and  that  there  must  be  a  strange 
certainty  in  his  promises,  if  they  depend  on  a  thing  impossible, 
so  that  they  can  never  be  fulfilled.  Concerning  promises  of  this 
kind,  to  which  a  condition  is  annexed,  we  shall  speak  in  another 
place,  and  evince  that  there  is  no  absurdity  in  the  impossibility 
of  their  completion.  With  respect  to  the  present  question,  I 
deny  that  God  is  cruel  or  insincere  to  us,  when  he  invites  us  to 
merit  his  favours,  though  he  knows  us  to  be  altogether  incapable 
of  doing  this.  For  as  the  promises  are  offered  equally  to  the 
faithful  and  to  the  impious,  they  have  their  use  with  them 
both.  As  by  the  precepts  God  disturbs  the  consciences  of  the 
impious,  that  they  may  not  enjoy  too  much  pleasure  in  sin  with- 
out any  recollection  of  his  judgments;  so  in  the  promises  he  calls 
them  to  attest  how  unworthy  they  are  of  his  kindness.  For 
who  can  deny  that  it  is  most  equitable  and  proper  for  the  Lord 
to  bless  those  who  worship  him,  and  severely  to  punish  the 
despisers  of  his  majesty?  God  acts  therefore  in  a  right  and 
orderly  manner,  when,  addressing  the  impious  who  are  bound 
with  the  fetters  of  sin,  he  adds  to  the  promises  this  condition, 
that  when  they  shall  have  departed  from  their  wickedness,  they 
shall  then,  and  not  till  then,  enjoy  his  favours;  even  for  this 
sole  reason,  that  they  may  know  that  they  are  deservedly  ex- 
cluded from  those  benefits  M'hich  belong  to  the  worshippers 
of  the  true  God.  On  the  other  hand,  since  he  designs  by  all 

(TO)  Jer.  iv.  1.   Deut.  xxviii.  1. 

VOL.  I.  2  X 


346  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

means  to  stimulate  the  faithful  to  implore  his  grace,  it  will  not 
be  at  all  strange,  if  he  does  in  his  promises  also,  what  we  have 
shewn  he  does  with  considerable  effect  in  his  precepts.  Being 
instructed  by  the  precepts  concerning  the  will  of  God,  we  are  ap- 
prized of  our  misery,  in  having  our  hearts  so  completely  averse 
to  it;  and  are  at  the  same  time  excited  to  invoke  his  Spirit, 
that  we  may  be  directed  by  him  into  the  right  way.  But  be- 
cause our  sluggishness  is  not  sufficiently  roused  by  the  precepts, 
God  adds  his  promises,  to  allure  us  by  their  sweetness  to  the 
love  of  his  commands.  Now,  in  proportion  to  our  increased 
love  of  righteousness,  will  be  the  increase  of  our  fervour  in 
seeking  the  grace  of  God.  See  how,  in  these  addresses,  "  If  ye 
be  willing,"  u  If  ye  be  obedient,"  the  Lord  neither  attributes  to 
lis  an  unlimited  power  to  will  and  to  obey,  nor  yet  mocks  us  on 
account  of  our  impotence. 

XI.  The  third  class  of  arguments  also  has  a  great  affinity 
with  the  preceding.  For  they  produce  passages  in  which 
God  reproaches  an  ungrateful  people,  that  it  was  wholly  owing 
to  their  own  fault  that  they  did  not  receive  blessings  of  all 
kinds  from  his  indulgent  hand.  Of  this  kind  are  the  following 
passages:  "  The  Amalekites  and  the  Canaanites  are  there  be- 
fore you,  and  ye  shall  fall  by  the  sword:  because  ye  are  turned 
away  from  the  Lord."  (n)  "  Because  I  called  you,  but  ye  an- 
swered not;  therefore  will  I  do  unto  this  house  as  I  have  done 
to  Shiloh."  (o)  Again,  "  This  is  a  nation  that  obeyeth  not 
the  voice  of  the  Lord  their  God,  nor  receiveth  correction: 
the  Lord  hath  rejected  and  forsaken  the  generation  of  his 
wrath."  (/>)  Again,  "  They  obeyed  not  thy  voice,  neither 
walked  in  thy  law;  they  have  done  nothing  of  all  that  thou 
commandest  them  to  do:  therefore  thou  hast  caused  all  this 
evil  to  come  upon  them."  (tj)  How,  say  they,  could  such  re- 
proaches be  applicable  to  those  who  might  immediately  reply, 
It  is  true  that  we  desired  prosperity  and  dreaded  adversity;  but 
our  not  obeying  the  Lord,  or  hearkening  to  his  voice,  in  order 
to  obtain  good  and  to  avoid  evil,  has  been  owing  to  our  want  of 
liberty,  and  subjection  to  the  dominion  of  sin.  It  is  in  vain 
therefore  to  reproach  us  with  evils,  which  we  had  no  power  to 

(n)  Numb.  xiv.  43.  (o)  Jer.  vii.  13,  14. 

( /»)  Jer.  vii.  28, 29.  (?)  Jer.  xxxij,  23. 


CHAP.  V.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  347 

avoid.  In  answer  to  this,  leaving  the  pretext  of  necessity,  which 
is  but  a  weak  and  futile  plea,  I  ask  whether  they  can  exculpate 
themselves  from  all  guilt?  For  if  they  are  convicted  of  any 
fault,  the  Lord  justly  reproaches  them  with  their  perverseness, 
as  the  cause  of  their  not  having  experienced  the  advantage  of 
his  clemency.  Let  them  answer  then,  if  they  can  deny  that 
their  own  perverse  will  was  the  cause  of  their  obstinacy?  If 
they  find  the  source  of  the  evil  within  themselves,  why  do  they 
so  earnestly  inquire  after  extraneous  causes,  that  they  may  not 
appear  to  have  been  the  authors  of  their  own  ruin?  But 
if  it  be  true  that  sinners  are  deprived  of  the  favours  of  God, 
and  chastised  with  his  punishments,  for  their  own  sin,  and  only 
for  their  own,  there  is  great  reason  why  they  should  hear  those 
reproaches  from  his  mouth;  that  if  they  obstinately  persist 
in  their  crimes,  they  may  learn  in  their  calamities  rather  to 
accuse  and  detest  their  iniquity,  than  to  charge  God  with  un- 
righteous cruelty;  that  if  they  have  not  cast  off  all  docility, 
they  may  become  weary  of  their  sins,  the  demerits  of  which 
they  see  to  be  misery  and  ruin,  and  may  return  into  the  good 
way,  acknowledging  in  a  serious  confession  the  very  thing  for 
which  the  Lord  rebukes  them.  And  that  those  reproofs, 
which  are  quoted  from  the  prophets,  have  produced  this  bene- 
ficial effect  on  the  faithful,  is  evident  from  the  solemn  prayer 
of  Daniel,  given  us  in  his  ninth  chapter.  Of  the  former  use 
of  them  we  find  an  example  in  the  Jews,  to  whom  Jeremiah 
is  commanded  to  declare  the  cause  of  their  miseries;  though 
nothing  could  befal  them,  otherwise  than  the  Lord  had  fore- 
told. "Thou  shalt  speak  all  these  words  unto  them;  but 
they  will  not  hearken  to  thee:  thou  shalt  also  call  unto  them; 
but  they  will  not  answer  thee."  (r)  For  what  purpose  then, 
it  will  be  asked,  did  they  speak  to  persons  that  were  deaf?  It 
was  in  order  that,  in  spite  of  their  disinclination  and  aver- 
sion, they  might  know  what  was  declared  to  them  to  be  true; 
that  it  was  an  abominable  sacrilege  to  transfer  to  God  the  guilt 
of  their  crimes,  which  belonged  solely  to  themselves.  With 
these  few  solutions,  we  may  very  easily  dispatch  the  immense 
multitude  of  testimonies,  which  the  enemies  of  the  grace  of 

(r)  Jer.  vii.  27. 


348  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

God  are  accustomed  to  collect  both  from  the  precepts  of  the 
law,  and  from  the  expostulations  directed  to  transgressors  of 
it,  in  order  to  establish  the  idol  of  free-will.  In  one  psalm  the 
Jews  are  stigmatised  as  "a  stubborn  and  rebellious  genera- 
tion; a  generation  that  set  not  their  heart  aright."  («)  In 
another,  the  psalmist  exhorts  the  men  of  his  age  to  "  harden 
not"  their  "hearts;"  (?)  which  implies,  that  all  the  guilt  of 
rebellion  lies  in  the  perverseness  of  men.  But  it  is  absurd  to 
infer  from  this  passage  that  the  heart  is  equally  flexible  to  either 
side:  whereas  "  the  preparation"  of  it  is  "  from  the  Lord."  (u) 
The  psalmist  says,  "  I  have  inclined  my  heart  to  perform  thy 
statutes:"  (w)  because  he  had  devoted  himself  to  the  service  of 
God  without  any  reluctance,  but  with  a  cheerful  readiness  of 
mind.  Yet  he  boasts  not  of  being  himself  the  author  of  this  in- 
clination, which  in  the  same  psalm  he  acknowledges  to  be  the  gift 
of  God.  (x)  We  should  remember  therefore  the  admonition  of 
Paul,  when  he  commands  the  faithful  to  "  work  out"  their 
"  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling;  for  it  is  God  which 
worketh  in"  them  "  both  to  will  and  to  do."  (r/)  He  assigns 
them  a  part  to  perform,  that  they  may  not  indulge  them- 
selves in  carnal  negligence;  but  by  inculcating  "  fear  and 
trembling,"  he  humbles  them,  and  reminds  them  that  this  very 
thing,  which  they  are  commanded  to  do,  is  the  peculiar  work  of 
God.  In  this  he  plainly  suggests  that  the  faithful  act,  if  I 
may  be  allowed  the  expression,  passively,  inasmuch  as  they 
are  furnished  with  strength  from  heaven,  that  they  may  arro- 
gate nothing  at  all  to  themselves.  Wherefore,  when  Peter 
exhorts  us  to  "  add  to"  our  "  faith,  virtue,"  (2)  he  does  not  allot 
Us  another  part  to  be  performed,  as  though  we  could  do  any 
thing  separately,  of  ourselves;  he  only  arouses  the  indolence  of 
the  flesh,  by  which  faith  itself  is  frequently  extinguished.  To 
the  same  purpose  is  the  exhortation  of  Paul:  "  Quench  not  the 
Spirit;"  (a)  for  slothfulness  gradually  prevails  over  the  faithful, 
unless  it  be  corrected.  But  if  any  one  should  infer  from  this, 
that  it  is  at  his  own  option  to  cherish  the  light  offered  him,  his 
ignorance  will  easily  be  refuted;  since  this  diligence  which  Paul 

-    (*)  Psalm  Ixxviii.  8.        (/)  Psalm  xcv.  8.  («)  Prov.  xvi.  1. 

(TO)  Psalm  cxix.  112.       (x)  Psalm  cxix.  33—40.  (/)  Phil.  ii.  12. 
(z°)  2  Peter  i.  5.  (a)  1  Thess.  v.  19. 


GHAP.  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  349 

requires,  proceeds  only  from  God.  For  we  are  also  frequently 
commanded  to  "  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness,"  (6)  whilst 
the  Spirit  claims  the  office  of  sanctifying  us  exclusively  to 
himself.  In  short,  that  what  properly  belongs  to  God  is,  by 
concession,  transferred  to  us,  is  plain  from  the  words  of  John: 
"  He  that  is  begotten  of  God,  keepeth  himself."  (c)  The 
preachers  of  free-will  lay  hold  of  this  expression,  as  though 
we  were  saved  partly  by  the  Divine  power,  partly  by  our  own; 
as  though  we  did  not  receive  from  heaven  this  very  preserva- 
tion which  the  apostle  mentions.  Wherefore  also  Christ 
prays  that  his  Father  would  "  keep"  us  "  from  evil;"  (d)  and 
we  know  that  the  pious,  in  their  warfare  against  Satan,  obtain 
the  victory  by  no  other  arms  than  those  which  are  furnished  by 
God.  Therefore  Peter,  having  enjoined  us  to  "purify"  our 
"  souls,  in  obeying  the  truth,"  immediately  adds,  as  a  correc- 
tion, "  through  the  Spirit."  (i)  Finally,  the  impotence  of  all 
human  strength  in  the  spiritual  conflict  is  briefly  demonstrated 
by  John,  when  he  says,  '^Whosoever  is  born  of  God  cannot 
sin;  for  his  seed  remaineth  in  him:"  (y)  and  in  another  place 
he  adds  the  reason,  that  "  this  is  the  victory  that  overcometh 
the  world,  even  our  faith."  (£•) 

XII.  There  is  also  a  testimony  cited  from  the  law  of 
Moses,  which  appears  directly  repugnant  to  our  solution. 
For,  after  having  published  the  law,  he  makes  the  following 
solemn  declaration  to  the  people:  "This  commandment, 
which  I  command  thee  this  day,  it  is  not  hidden  from  thee, 
neither  is  it  far  off:  it  is  not  in  heaven:  but  the  word  is 
very  nigh  unto  thee,  in  thy  mouth,  and  in  thy  heart,  that  thou 
mayest  do  it."  (A)  If  these  expressions  be  understood  merely 
of  the  precepts,  I  grant  that  they  have  much  weight  in  thr 
present  argument.  For  although  we  might  easily  elude  their 
force  by  saying  that  they  ti-eat  of  the  facility  and  promptitude, 
not  of  observance,  but  of  knowledge;  yet  still  perhaps  they 
might  leave  some  doubt.  But  the  apostle,  in  whose  exposi- 
tions there  is  no  ambiguity,  removes  all  our  doubts,  by  affirm- 
ing that  Moses  here  spake  of  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel,  (z) 

(6)  2  Cor.  vii.  1.  (c)  1  John  v.  18.  (</)  John  xvii.  15. 

(e)  1  Peter  i.  22.  (/)  1  John  Hi.  9.  (»  1  John  v.  4. 

(h)  Deut.  xxx.  11—14.        (»)  Rom.  x.  a 


350  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

But  if  any  one  should  obstinately  contend,  that  Paul  has 
violently  perverted  the  passage  from  its  genuine  meaning,  by 
applying  it  to  the  gospel;  although  his  presumption  could 
not  be  acquitted  of  impiety,  yet  there  is  enough  to  refute  him, 
independently  of  the  authority  of  the  apostle.  For,  if  Moses 
spake  only  of  the  precepts,  he  was  deceiving  the  people  with 
the  vainest  confidence.  For  would  they  not  have  precipitated 
themselves  into  ruin,  if  they  had  attempted  the  observance  of 
the  law  in  their  own  strength,  as  a  thing  of  no  difficulty? 
What  then  becomes  of  the  very  obvious  facility  with  which 
the  law  may  be  observed,  when  there  appears  no  access  to  it 
but  over  a  fatal  precipice?  Wherefore  nothing  is  more  cer- 
tain, than  that  Moses  in  these  words  comprehended  the  cove- 
nant of  mercy,  which  he  had  promulgated  together  with  the  pre- 
cepts of  the  law.  For  in  a  preceding  verse  he  had  taught  that 
our  hearts  must  be  circumcised  by  God,  in  order  that  we  may 
love  him.  (/£)  Therefore  he  placed  this  facility,  of  which  he 
afterwards  speaks,  not  in  the  strength  of  man,  but  in  the 
assistance  and  protection  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  powerfully 
accomplishes  his  work  in  our  infirmity.  However,  the  passage 
is  not  to  be  understood  simply  of  the  precepts,  but  rather  of 
the  promises  of  the  Gospel,  which  are  so  far  from  maintaining 
an  ability  in  us  to  obtain  righteousness,  that  they  prove  us 
to  be  utterly  destitute  of  it.  Paul,  considering  the  same, 
proves  by  this  testimony  that  salvation  is  proposed  to  us  in  the 
Gospel,  not  under  that  hard,  difficult,  and  impossible  condition, 
prescribed  to  us  in  the  law,  which  pronounces  it  attainable 
only  by  those  who  have  fulfilled  all  the  commandments,  but 
under  a  condition  easily  and  readily  to  be  performed.  There- 
fore this  testimony  contributes  nothing  to  support  the  liberty  of 
the  human  will. 

XIII.  Some  other  passages  also  are  frequently  objected, 
which  shew  that  God  sometimes  tries  men  by  withdrawing 
the  assistance  of  his  grace,  and  waits  to  see  what  course  they 
will  pursue;  as  in  Hosea,  "  I  will  go  and  return  to  my  place, 
till  they  acknowledge  their  offence  and  seek  my  face."  (/)  It 
would  be  ridiculous,  they  say,  for  the  Lord  to  consider, 

(>)  Deut  xxx.  6.  (/)  Hos.  v.  15. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  351 

ther  Israel  would  seek  his  face,  unless  their  minds  were  flexible, 
capable  of  inclining  either  way,  according  to  their  own  pleasure. 
As  if  it  were  not  very  common  for  God,  in  the  prophets,  to  re- 
present himself  as  despising  and  rejecting  his  people,  till  they 
should  amend  their  lives.  But  what  will  our  adversaries  infei 
from  such  threats?  If  they  maintain,  that  those  who  arc 
deserted  by  God,  are  capable  of  converting  themselves, 
they  oppose  the  uniform  declarations  of  Scripture.  If  they 
acknowledge  that  the  grace  of  God  is  necessary  to  conver- 
sion, what  is  their  controversy  with  us?  But  they  will  re- 
ply, that  they  concede  its  necessity  in  such  a  sense  as  to 
maintain  that  man  still  retains  some  power.  How  do  they 
prove  it?  Certainly  not  from  this  or  any  similar  passages. 
For  it  is  one  thing  to  depart  from  a  man,  and  to  observe 
what  he  will  do  when  forsaken  and  left  to  himself,  and 
another  to  assist  his  little  strength  in  proportion  to  his  im- 
becility. What  then,  it  will  be  inquired,  is  implied  in  such 
forms  of  expression?  I  reply,  that  the  import  of  them  is 
just  as  if  God  had  said,  Since  admonitions,  exhortations,  and 
reproofs,  produce  no  good  effect  on  this  rebellious  people,  I 
will  withdraw  myself  for  a  little  while,  and  silently  leave 
them  to  affliction.  I  will  see  whether,  at  some  future  period 
after  a  series  of  calamities,  they  will  remember  me,  and  seek 
my  face.  The  departure  of  the  Lord,  signifies  the  removal  of 
his  word.  His  observing  what  men  will  do,  signifies  his  con- 
cealing himself  in  silence,  and  exercising  them  for  a  season 
with  various  afflictions.  He  does  both  to  humble  us  the  more,' 
for  we  should  sooner  be  confounded  than  corrected  with  the 
scourges  of  adversity,  unless  he  rendered  us  docile  by  his 
Spirit.  Now  when  the  Lord,  offended,  and,  as  it  were, 
wearied,  by  our  extreme  obstinacy,  leaves  us  for  a  time,  by 
the  removal  of  his  word  in  which  he  is  accustomed  to  manifest 
his  presence  with  us,  and  makes  the  experiment,  what  we 
shall  do  in  his  absence;  it  is  falsely  inferred  from  this,  thai 
there  is  some  power  of  free  will,  which  he  observes  and  provc;r. 
since  he  acts  in  this  manner  with  no  other  design  than  to 
bring  us  to  a  sense  and  acknowledgment  of  our  own  no- 
thingness. 

XIV.  They  argue  also  from  the  manner  of  expression  which 


J52  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [.BOOK  n.. 

is  invariably  observed,  both  in  the  Scriptures  and  in  the  com- 
mon conversation  of  mankind.  For  good  actions  are  called 
our  own,  and  we  are  said  to  perform  what  is  holy  and  pleas- 
ing to  the  Lord,  as  well  as  to  commit  sins.  But  if  sins  be 
justly  imputed  to  us,  as  proceeding  from  ourselves;  certainly 
some  share  ought  to  be,  for  the  same  reason,  assigned  to  us 
also  in  works  of  righteousness.  For  it  would  be  absurd  that 
we  should  be  said  to  do  those  things,  to  the  performance  of 
which,  being  incapable  of  any  exertion  of  our  own,  we  were 
impelled  by  God,  as  so  many  stones.  Wherefore,  though  we 
allow  the  grace  of  God  the  pre-eminence,  yet  these  expres- 
sions indicate  that  our  own  endeavours  hold  at  least  the 
second  place.  If  it  were  only  alleged,  that  good  works  are 
called  our  own;  I  would  reply,  that  the  bread,  which  we  pray 
to  God  to  give  us,  is  called  ours.  What  will  they  prove  by 
this  term,  but  that  what  otherwise  by  no  means  belongs  to  us, 
becomes  ours  through  the  benignity  and  gratuitous  munificence 
of  God?  Therefore  let  them  either  ridicule  the  same  absurdity 
in  the  Lord's  prayer;  or  no  longer  esteem  it  ridiculous,  that 
good  works  are  denominated  ours,  in  which  we  have  no  pro- 
priety but  from  the  liberality  of  God.  But  there  is  rather 
more  force  in  what  follows;  that  the  Scripture  frequently 
affirms  that  we  ourselves  worship  God,  work  righteousness, 
obey  the  law,  and  perform  good  works.  These  being  the  pro- 
per offices  of  the  understanding  and  will,  how  could  they  justly 
be  referred  to  the  Spirit,  and  at  the  same  time  be  attributed 
to  us,  if  there  were  not  some  union  of  our  exertions  with  the 
grace  of  God?  We  shall  easily  extricate  ourselves  from  these 
objections,  if  we  properly  consider  the  manner  in  which  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  operates  in  the  saints.  The  similitude  with 
which  they  try  to  cast  an  odium  on  our  sentiments,  is  quite 
foreign  to  the  subject;  for  who  is  so  senseless  as  to  suppose 
that  there  is  no  difference  between  impelling  a  man,  and 
throwing  a  stone?  Nor  does  any  such  consequence  follow  from 
our  doctrine.  We  rank  among  the  natural  powers  of  man, 
approving,  rejecting;  willing,  nilling;  attempting,  resisting; 
that  is,  a  power  to  approve  vanity,  and  to  reject  true  excel- 
lence; to  will  what  is  evil,  to  refuse  what  is  good;  to  attempt 
iniquity,  and  to  resist  righteousness.  What  concern  has  the 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  353 

Lord  in  this?  If  it  be  his  will  to  use  this  depravity  as  an 
instrument  of  his  wrath,  he  directs  and  appoints  it  according 
to  his  pleasure,  in  order  to  execute  his  good  work  by  means 
of  a  wicked  hand.  Shall  we  then  compare  a  wicked  man, 
who  is  thus  subservient  to  the  Divine  power,  while  he  only 
studies  to  gratify  his  own  corrupt  inclinations,  to  a  stone  which 
is  hurled  by  an  extrinsic  impulse,  and  driven  along  without 
any  motion,  sense,  or  will  of  its  own?  We  perceive  what  a 
vast  difference  there  is.  But  how  does  the  Lord  operate  in 
good  men,  to  whom  the  question  principally  relates?  When 
he  erects  his  kingdom  within  them,  he  by  his  Spirit  restrains 
their  will,  that  it  may  not  be  hurried  away  by  unsteady  and 
violent  passions,  according  to  the  propensity  of  nature;  that 
it  may  be  inclined  to  holiness  and  righteousness,  he  bends, 
composes,  forms,  and  directs  it  according  to  the  rule  of  his 
own  righteousness;  that  it  may  not  stagger  or  fall,  he  esta- 
blishes and  confirms  it  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit.  For  which 
reason  Augustine  says,  "You  will  reply  to  me,  Then  we  are 
actuated,  we  do  not  act.  Yes,  you  both  act  and  are  actuated; 
and  you  act  well,  when  you  are  actuated  by  that  which  is  good. 
The  Spirit  of  God,  who  actuates  you,  assists  those  who  act, 
and  calls  himself  a  helper,  because  you  also  perform  some- 
thing." In  the  first  clause  he  inculcates  that  the  agency 
of  man  is  not  destroyed  by  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  because 
the  Avill,  which  is  guided  to  aspire  to  what  is  good,  belongs 
to  his  nature.  But  the  inference  which  he  immediately  sub- 
joins, from  the  term  help,  that  we  also  perform  something, 
we  should  not  understand  in  such  a  sense,  as  though  he  attri- 
buted any  thing  to  us  independently:  but  in  order  to  avoid 
encouraging  us  in  indolence,  he  reconciles  the  divine  agency 
with  ours  in  this  way;  that  to  will  is  from  nature,  to  will  what 
is  good  is  from  grace.  Therefore  he  had  just  before  said, 
"  Without  the  assistance  of  God,  we  shall  be  not  only  unable 
to  conquer,  but  even  to  contend." 

XV.  Hence  it  appears  that  the  grace  of  God,  in  the  sense 
in  which  this  word  is  used  when  we  treat  of  regeneration, 
is  the  rule  of  the  Spirit  for  directing  and  governing  the 
human  will.  He  cannot  govern  it,  unless  he  correct,  reform, 

Vox..  I.  2  Y 


354  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

and    renovate   it;  whence  we  say  that  the  commencement  of 
regeneration  is  an  abolition  of  what  is    from   ourselves:   nor 
unless  he    also    excite,    actuate,  impel,   support,  and  restrain 
it;    whence  we  truly   assert,  that   all  the  actions  which  pro- 
ceed from  this  are  entirely  of  the  Spirit.  At  the  same  time, 
we  fully  admit  the  truth  of  what  Augustine  teaches,  that  the 
will  is  not  destroyed  by  grace,  but  rather  repaired;   for  these 
two  things  are  perfectly  consistent; — that  the  human  will  may- 
be said  to  be  repaired,  when,  by  the  correction  of  its  depra- 
vity  and  perverseness,    it  is   directed  according  to  the   true 
standard  of  righteousness;  and  also  that  a  new  will  may  be 
said  to  be  created  in  man,  because  the  natural  will  is  so  vitiated 
and  corrupted,  that  it  needs  to  be  formed  entirely  anew.   Now 
there  is  no  reason  why  we  may  not  justly  be  said  to  perform 
that  which  the  Spirit  of  God  performs  in  us,  although  our  own 
will  contributes  nothing  of  itself  independently  of  his  grace. 
And   therefore  we  should  remember  what   we    have    before 
cited  from  Augustine,  that  many  persons  labour  in  vain  to  find 
in  the  human  will  some  good,  properly  its  own.   For  whatever 
mixture  men  study  to  add  from  the  power  of  free-will  to  the 
grace  of  God,  is  only  a  corruption  of  it;  just  as  if  any  one 
should  dilute  good  wine  with  dirty  or  bitter  water.  But  al- 
though whatever   good  there  is  in   the  human  will  proceeds 
wholly  from  the  internal  influence  of  the  Spirit,  yet  because  we 
have  a  natural  faculty  of  willing,  we  are,  not  without  reason, 
said  to  do  those  things,  the  praise  of  which  God  justly  claims  to 
himself:  first,  because  whatever  God  does  in  us,  becomes  ours 
by  his  benignity,  provided  we  do  not  apprehend  it  to  originate 
from  ourselves;  secondly,  because  the  understanding  is  ours, 
the  will  is  ours,  and  the  effort  is  ours,  which  are  all  directed  by 
him  to  that  which  is  good. 

XVI.  The  other  testimonies,  which  they  rake  together  from 
every  quarter,  will  not  much  embarrass  even  persons  of  mode- 
rate capacities,  who  have  well  digested  the  answers  already 
given.  They  quote  this  passage  from  Genesis:  "Unto  thec 
shall  be  his  desire,  and  thou  shalt  rule  over  him;"  (n)  or  as  they 

C»)  Gen.  iv.  7 


CHAP,  v.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  355 

would  translate  the  words,  "  Subject  to  thee  shall  be  its  appe- 
tite, and  thou  shalt  rule  over  it:"  which  they  explain  to  relate 
to  sin,  as  though  the  Lord  promised  Cain,  that  the  power  of 
sin  should  not  obtain  the  dominion  over  his  mind,  if  he  would 
labour  to  overcome  it.  But  we  say  that  it  is  more  agreeable 
to  the  tenor  of  the  context,  to  understand  it  to  be  spoken  con- 
cerning Abel.  For  the  design  of  God  in  it  is  to  prove  the 
iniquity  of  that  envy  which  Cain  had  conceived  against  his 
brother.  This  he  does  by  two  reasons;  first,  that  it  was  in  vain 
for  him  to  meditate  crimes  in  order  to  excel  his  brother  in  the 
sight  of  God,  with  whom  no  honour  is  given  but  to  righteous- 
ness; secondly,  that  he  was  extremely  ungrateful  for  the  favours 
God  had  already  conferred  on  him,  since  he  could  not  bear  his 
brother,  even  though  subject  to  his  authority.  But  that  we 
may  not  appear  to  adopt  this  explanation,  merely  because  the 
other  is  unfavourable  to  our  tenets,  let  us  admit  that  God  spake 
concerning  sin.  If  it  be  so,  then  what  the  Lord  there  declares, 
is  either  promised  or  commanded  by  him.  If  it  be  a  command, 
we  have  already  demonstrated  that  it  affords  no  proof  of  the 
power  of  men:  if  it  be  a  promise,  where  is  the  completion  of 
tfie  promise,  seeing  that  Cain  fell  under  the  dominion  of  sin, 
over  which  he  ought  to  have  prevailed?  They  will  say,  that 
the  promise  includes  a  tacit  condition,  as  though  it  had  been 
declared  to  him  that  he  should  obtain  the  victory  if  he  would 
contend  for  it;  but  who  can  admit  these  subterfuges?  For  if 
this  dominion  be  referred  to  sin,  the  speech  is  doubtless  a  com- 
mand, expressive,  not  of  our  ability,  but  of  our  duty,  which 
remains  our  duty  even  though  it  exceed  our  ability.  But  the 
subject  itself,  and  grammatical  propriety  require  a  comparison 
to  be  made  between  Cain  and  Abel;  in  which  the  elder  brother 
would  not  have  been  placed  below  the  younger,  if  he  had  not 
degraded  himself  by  his  own  wickedness. 

XVII.  They  adduce  also  the  testimony  of  the  Apostle,  who 
says,  that  "  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that 
runneth,  but  of  God  that  sheweth  mercy:"  (o)  whence  they 
conclude,  that  there  is  something  in  the  will  and  endeavour, 
which,  though  ineffectual  of  itself,  is  rendered  successful  by  the 

(o)  Rom.  ix.  16. 


356  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

assistance  of  the  Divine  mercy.  But  if  they  would  soberly 
examine  the  subject  there  treated  by  Paul,  they  would  not  so 
inconsiderately  pervert  this  passage.  I  know  that  they  can 
allege  the  suffrages  of  Origen  and  Jerome  in  defence  of  their 
exposition;  and  in  opposition  to  them,  I  could  produce  that  of 
Augustine.  But  their  opinions  are  of  no  importance  to  us,  if 
we  can  ascertain  what  was  the  meaning  of  Paul.  He  is  there 
teaching,  that  salvation  is  provided  for  them  alone,  whom  the 
Lord  favours  with  his  mercy;  but  that  ruin  and  perdition  await 
all  those  whom  he  hath  not  chosen.  He  had  shewn  by  the 
example  of  Pharaoh,  the  condition  of  the  reprobate;  and  had 
confirmed  the  certainty  of  gratuitous  election  by  the  testimony 
of  Moses:  "  I  wiU  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have  mercy." 
His  conclusion  is,  that  "  it  is  not  of  him  that  willcth,  nor  of 
him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  sheweth  mercy."  If  this  be 
understood  to  imply  that  our  will  and  endeavour  are  not  suffi- 
cient, because  they  are  not  equal  to  so  great  a  work,  Paul  has 
expressed  himself  with  great  impropriety.  Away  therefore  with 
these  sophisms:  "  It  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that 
runneth,"  therefore  there  is  some  willing  and  some  running.  For 
the  meaning  of  Paul  is  more  simple,  It  is  neither  our  willing 
nor  our  running,  which  procures  for  us  a  way  of  salvation,  but 
solely  the  mercy  of  God.  For  he  expresses  here  the  same 
sentiment  as  he  does  to  Titus,  when  he  says,  "that  the  kind- 
ness and  love  of  God  towards  man  appeared,  not  by  works  of 
righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to  his 
mercy."  (/>)  The  very  persons,  who  argue  that  Paul,  in  deny- 
ing that  it  is  of  him  that  willeth  or  of  him  that  runneth,  implies 
that  there  is  some  willing  and  some  running,  would  not  allow 
me  to  use  the  same  mode  of  reasoning,  that  we  have  done  some 
good  works,  because  Paul  denies  that  we  have  obtained  the 
favour  of  God  by  any  works  which  we  have  done.  But  if  they 
perceive  a  flaw  in  this  argumentation,  let  them  open  their  eyes, 
and  they  will  perceive  a  similar  fallacy  in  their  own.  For  the 
argument  on  which  Augustine  rests  the  dispute  is  unanswer- 
able: "  If  it  be  said,  that  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of 
him  that  runneth,  merely  because  neither  our  willing  nor  our 

(/5)Tit.  iii.  4,5. 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  357 

running  is  sufficient;  it  may  on  the  contrary  be  retorted, 
that  it  is  not  of  the  mercy  of  God,  because  that  does  not  act 
alone."  (y)  The  latter  position  being  absurd,  Augustine  justly 
concludes  the  meaning  of  this  passage  to  be,  that  there  is  no 
good  will  in  man,  unless  it  be  prepared  by  the  Lord;  not 
that  we  ought  not  to  will  and  to  run,  but  because  God  worketh 
in  us  both  the  one  and  the  other.  With  similar  want  of  judg- 
ment, some  pervert  this  declaration  of  Paul,  "  We  are  labourers 
together  with  God;"  (r)  which  without  doubt  is  restricted 
solely  to  ministers;  who  are  denominated  "  workers  with 
him,"  not  that  they  contribute  any  thing  of  themselves,  but 
because  God  makes  use  of  their  agency,  after  he  has  qualified 
them  and  furnished  them  with  the  necessary  talents. 

XVIII.  They  produce  a  passage  from  Ecclesiasticus,  which 
is  well  known  to  be  a  book  of  doubtful  authority.  But  though 
we  should  not  reject  it,  which  nevertheless  if  we  chose  we  might 
justly  do,  what  testimony  does  it  afford  in  support  of  free-will? 
The  writer  says,  that  man,  as  soon  as  he  was  created,  was  left  in 
the  power  of  his  own  will;  that  precepts  were  given  to  him, 
which  if  he  kept,  he  should  always  be  kept  by  them;  that  he  had 
life  and  death,  good  and  evil,  set  before  him;  and  that  whatever 
he  desired,  would  be  given  him.  (-s)  Let  it  be  granted,  that 
man  at  his  creation  was  endowed  with  a  power  of  choosing 
life  or  death.  What  if  we  reply,  that  he  has  lost  it?  I  certainly 
do  not  intend  to  contradict  Solomon,  who  asserts  that  "  God 
hath  made  man  upright;  but  they  have  sought  out  many 
inventions."  (?)  But  man  by  his  degeneracy  having  ship- 
wrecked both  himself  and  all  his  excellencies,  whatever  is 
attributed  to  his  primitive  state,  it  does  not  immediately  follow 
that  it  belongs  to  his  vitiated  and  degenerated  nature.  There- 
fore I  reply,  not  only  to  them,  but  also  to  Ecclesiasticus  him- 
self, whoever  he  be:  If  you  design  to  teach  man  to  seek  within 
himself  a  power  to  attain  salvation,  your  authority  is  not  so 
great  in  our  estimation  as  to  obtain  even  the  smallest  degree 
of  credit,  in  opposition  to  the  undoubted  word  of  God.  But 
if  you  only  aim  to  repress  the  malignity  of  the  flesh,  which 
vainly  attempts  to  vindicate  itself  by  transferring  its  crimes  to 

(7)  Epist.  107,  ad  Vital.  (r)  1  Cor.  iii.  9. 

0)  Ecclus.  xv.  14.  (r)  Eccles.  vii.  29. 


358  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

God;  and  you  therefore  reply,  that  man  was  originally  en- 
dued with  rectitude,  from  which  it  is  evident  that  he  was  the 
cause  of  his  own  ruin,  I  readily  assent  to  it;  provided  we  also 
agree  in  this,  that  through  his  own  guilt  he  is  now  despoiled 
of  those  ornaments  with  which  God  invested  him  at  the  begin- 
ning; and  so  unite  in  confessing,  that  in  his  present  situation 
he  needs  not  an  advocate,  but  a  physician. 

XIX.  But  there  is  nothing  which  our  adversaries  have 
more  frequently  in  their  mouths,  than  the  parable  of  Christ 
concerning  the  traveller,  who  was  left  by  robbers  in  the  road 
half  dead,  (u)  I  know  it  is  the  common  opinion  of  almost  all 
writers,  that  the  calamity  of  the  human  race  is  represented 
under  the  type  of  this  traveller.  Hence  they  argue,  that  man 
is  not  so  mutilated  by  the  violence  of  sin  and  the  devil,  but  that 
he  still  retains  some  reliques  of  his  former  excellencies,  since 
he  is  said  to  have  been  left  only  half  dead;  for  what  becomes 
of  the  remaining  portion  of  life,  unless  there  remain  some  rec- 
titude both  of  reason  and  will?  In  the  first  place,  what  could 
they  say,  if  I  refuse  to  admit  their  allegory?  For  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  this  interpretation  invented  by  the  Fathers  is 
foreign  to  the  genuine  sense  of  our  Lord's  discourse.  Allegories 
ought  to  be  extended  no  further  than  they  are  supported  by  the 
authority  of  Scripture,  for  they  are  far  from  affording  of  them- 
selves a  sufficient  foundation  for  any  doctrines.  Nor  is  there 
any  want  of  arguments  by  which,  if  I  chose,  I  could  com- 
pletely confute  this  erroneous  notion:  for  the  ^ord  of  God 
does  not  leave  man  in  the  possession  of  a  portion  of  life,  but 
teaches,  that  as  far  as  respects  happiness  of  life,  he  is  wholly  dead. 
Paul,  when  speaking  of  our  redemption,  says,  not  that  we  were 
recovered  when  half  dead,  but  that  "  even  when  we  were  dead, 
we  were  raised  up."  He  calls  not  on  the  half  dead,  but  on 
those  who  are  in  the  grave,  sleeping  the  sleep  of  death,  to  re- 
ceive the  illumination  of  Christ.  (v)  And  the  Lord  himself  speaks 
in  a  similar  manner,  when  he  says,  that  "the  hour  is  coming, 
and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 
God;  and  they  that  hear  shall  live."  (tt>)  With  what  face  can 
they  oppose  this  slight  allusion  against  so  many  positive  ex- 

(u)  Luke  x.  30.  (r)  Eph.  ii.  5.  v.  14.  (w)  John  v.  25. 


CHAP,  vi.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  359 

pressions?  Yet  let  this  allegory  even  be  admitted  as  a  clear 
testimony;  what  will  it  enable  them  to  extort  from  us?  Man, 
they  will  say,  is  but  half  dead,  therefore  he  has  some  faculty 
remaining  entire.  I  grant  that  he  has  a  mind  capable  of  under- 
standing, though  it  attains  not  to  heavenly  and  spiritual  wis- 
dom; he  has  some  idea  of  virtue;  he  has  some  sense  of  the 
Deity,  though  he  acquires  not  the  true  knowledge  of  Goxl. 
But  what  is  to  be  concluded  from  all  this.  It  certainly  does 
not  disprove  the  assertion  of  Augustine,  which  has  received  the 
general  approbation  of  the  schools:^That  man  since  his  fall 
has  been  deprived  of  the  gratuitous  talents  on  which  salvation 
depends;  that  the  natural  ones  are  corrupted  and  polluted. 
Let  us  hold  this  then  as  an  undoubted  truth  which  no  opposi- 
tion can  ever  shake;  that  the  mind  of  man  is  so  completely 
alienated  from  the  righteousness  of  God,  that  it  conceives, 
desires,  and  undertakes  every  thing  that  is  impious,  perverse, 
base,  impure,  and  flagitious:  that  his  heart  is  so  thoroughly 
infected  by  the  poison  of  sin,  that  it  cannot  produce  any  thing 
but  what  is  corrupt;  and  that  if  at  any  time  men  do  any  thing 
apparently  good,  yet  the  mind  always  remains  involved  in 
hypocrisy  and  fallacious  obliquity,  and  the  heart  enslaved  by 
its  inward  perversenessrj 


CHAPTER  VI. 

f~~ _  Redemption  for  lost  Man  to  be  sought  in  Christ. 
(  1  HE  whole  human  race  having  perished  in  the  person  of 
T?Ldam,  our  original  excellence  and  dignity,  which  we  have 
noticed,  so  far  from  being  advantageous  to  us,  only  involves  us 
in  greater  ignominy,  till  God,  who  does  not  acknowledge  the 
pollution  and  corruption  of  man  by  sin  to  be  his  work,  appears 
as  a  Redeemer  in  the  person  of  his  only  begotten  Soruj  There- 
fore since  we  are  fallen  from  life  into  death,  a-11  that  knowledge 
of  God  as  a  Creator,  of  which  \ve  have  l/Lcn  treating,  would 
be  useless,  unless  it  were  succeeded  by  faith  exhibiting  God  to 
4is  as  a  Father  in  Christ.  This  indeed  was  the  genuine-  order  r/t 


360  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n, 

nature,  that  the  fabric  of  the  world  should  be  a  school  in  which 
i  might  k;un  piety,  and  thence  be  conducted  to  eternal  life 
and  perfect  felicity.  But  since  the  fall,  whithersoever  we  turn 
our  eyes,  the  curse  of  God  meets  us  on  every  side,  which,  whilst 
it  seizes  innocent  creatures  and  involves  them  in  our  guilt,  must 
necessarily  overwhelm  our  souls  with  despair.  For  though 
God  is  pleased  still  to  manifest  his  paternal  kindness  to  us  in 
various  ways,  yet  we  cannot,  from  a  contemplation  of  the  world, 
conclude  that  he  is  our  Father,  when  our  conscience  disturbs 
us  within,  and  convinces  us  that  our  sins  afford  a  just  reason 
why  God  should  abandon  us,  and  no  longer  esteem  us  as  his 
children.  We  are  also  chargeable  with  stupidity  and  ingrati- 
tude; for  our  minds,  being  blinded,  do  not  perceive  the  truth; 
and  all  our  senses  being  corrupted,  we  wickedly  defraud  God  of 
his  glory.  We  must  therefore  subscribe  to  the  declaration  of 
Paul:  "  For  after  that  in  the  wisdom  of  God,  the  world  by 
wisdom  knew  not  God,  it  pleased  God  by  the  foolishness  of 
preaching  to  save  them  that  believe."  (.x1)  What  he  denomi- 
nates the  wisdom  of  God,  is  this  magnificent  theatre  of  heaven 
and  earth,  which  is  replete  with  innumerable  miracles,  and 
from  the  contemplation  of  which  we  ought  wisely  tc  acquire 
the  knowledge  of  God.  But  because  we  have  made  so  little 
improvement  in  this  way,  he  recals  us  to  the  faith  of  Christ, 
which  is  despised  by  unbelievers  on  account  of  its  apparent 
folly.  Wherefore,  though  the  preaching  of  the  cross  is  not 
agreeable  to  human  reason,  we  ought  nevertheless  to  embrace 
it  with  all  humility,  if  we  desire  to  return  to  God  our  Creator, 
from  whom  we  have  been  alienated,  and  to  have  him  to  reas- 
sume  the  character  of  our  Father.  Since  the  fall  of  the  first 
man,  no  knowledge  of  God,  without  the  Mediator,  has  been 
available  to  salvation.  For  Christ  speaks  not  of  his  own  time 
only,  but  comprehends  all  ages,  when  he  says  that  "  this  is  lift- 
eternal,  to  know  thee  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  thou  hast  sent."  (*/)  And  this  aggravates  the  stupidity  of 
those  who  set  open  the  gate  of  heaven  to  all  unbelievers  and  pro- 
fane persons,  without  the  grace  of  Christ,  whom  the  Scripture 
universally  represents  as  the  only  door  of  entrance  into  salvation. 

(x)  1  Cor.  i.  21.  (.v)  John  xvii,  3. 


CHAP,  vi.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  361 

But  if  any  man  would  restrict  this  declaration  of  Christ  to  the 
period  of  the  first  promulgation  of  the  Gospel,  we  are  pre- 
pared with  a  refutation.  For  it  has  been  a  common  opinion 
in  all  ages  and  nations,  that  those  who  are  alienated  from  God, 
and  pronounced  accursed  and  children-  of  wrath,  cannot  please 
him  without  a  reconciliation.  Here  add  the  answer  of  Christ 
to  the  woman  of  Samaria:  "  Ye  worship  ye  know  not  what: 
we  know  what  we  worship:  for  salvation  is  of  the  Jews."(z)  In 
these  words  he  at  once  condemns  all  the  religions  of  the  Gentiles 
as  false,  and  assigns  a  reason  for  it;  because  under  the  la\v  the 
Redeemer  was  promised  only  to  the  chosen  people;  whence  it 
follows  that  no  worship  has  ever  been  acceptable  to  God,  un- 
less it  had  respect  to  Christ.  Hence  also  Paul  affirms,  that  all 
the  Gentiles  were  without  God,  and  destitute  of  hope,  (a)  Now 
as  John  teaches  us  that  life  was  from  the  beginning  in  Christ, 
and  that  the  whole  world  are  fallen  from  it,  (£)  it  is  necessary 
to  return  to  that  fountain:  and  therefore  Christ  asserts  himself 
to  be  the  life,  as  he  is  the  author  of  the  propitiation.  And 
indeed  the  celestial  inheritance  belongs  exclusively  to  the 
children  of  God.  But  it  is  very  unreasonable  that  they  should 
be  considered  in  the  place  and  order  of  his  children,  who  have 
not  been  engrafted  into  the  body  of  his  only  begotten  Son. 
And  John  plainly  declares,  that  "  they  who  believe  in  his  name 
become  the  sons  of  God."  (c)  But  as  it  is  not  my  design  in 
this  place  to  treat  professedly  of  faith  in  Christ,  these  cursory 
hints  shall  at  present  suffice. 

II.  Therefore  God  never  shewed  himself  propitious  to  his 
ancient  people,  nor  afforded  them  any  hope  of  his  favour,  with- 
out a  Mediator.  I  forbear  to  speak  of  the  legal  sacrifices,  by 
which  the  faithful  were  plainly  and  publicly  instructed  that 
salvation  was  to  be  sought  solely  in  that  expiation,  which  has 
been  accomplished  by  Christ  alone.  I  only  assert,  that  the 
happiness  of  the  Church  has  always  been  founded  on  the 
person  of  Christ.  For  though  God  comprehended  in  his 
covenant  all  the  posterity  of  Abraham,  yet  Paul  judiciously 
reasons  that  Christ  is  in  reality  that  Seed  in  whom  all  the 
nations  were  to  be  blessed:  (</)  since  we  know  that  the  natural 

(z)  John  iv.  22.  (a)  Ephes.  ii.  12.  (b)  John  i.  4 

(c)  John  i,  12.  (/)  Gal.  iii.  16. 

Vol.  5.  27 


362  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

descendants  of  that  patriarch  were  not  reckoned  as  his  seed. 
For,  to  say  nothing  of  Ishmucl  and  others,  what  was  the  cause, 
that  of  the  two  sons  of  Isaac,  the  twin-brothers  Esau  and 
Jacob,  even  when  they  were  yet  unborn,  one  should  be  chosen 
and  the  other  rejected?  How  came  it  to  pass  that  the  first-born 
was  rejected,  and  that  the  younger  obtained  his  birthright? 
How  came  the  majority  of  the  people  to  be  disinherited?  It 
is  evident  therefore  that  the  seed  of  Abraham  is  reckoned 
principally  in  one  person,  and  that  the  promised  salvation  was 
not  manifested  till  the  coming  of  Christ,  whose  office  it  is  to 
collect  what  had  been  scattered  abroad.  The  first  adoption 
therefore  of  the  chosen  people  depended  on  the  grace  of  the 
Mediator:  which  though  it  is  not  so  plainly  expressed  by 
Moses,  yet  appears  to  have  been  generally  well  known  to  all 
the  pious.  For  before  the  appointment  of  any  king  in  the 
nation,  Hannah,  the  mother  of  Samuel,  speaking  of  the  felicity 
of  the  faithful,  thus  expressed  herself  in  her  song:  "The  Lord 
shall  give  strength  unto  his  king,  and  exalt  the  horn  of  his 
anointed."  (c)  Her  meaning  in  these  words  is,  that  God  will 
bless  his  Church.  And  to  this  agrees  the  oracle,  which  is  soon 
after  introduced,  "  I  will  raise  me  up  a  faithful  priest,  and 
he  shall  walk  before  mine  anointed."  And  there  is  no  doubt 
that  it  was  the  design  of  the  heavenly  Father  to  exhibit  in 
David  and  his  posterity  a  lively  image  of  Christ.  With  a 
design  to  exhort  the  pious  therefore  to  the  fear  of  God,  he 
enjoins  them  to  "  kiss  the  Son:"  (y)  which  agrees  with  this  de- 
claration of  the  Gospel,  "  He  that  honoureth  not  the  Son, 
honoureth  not  the  Father."  (£•)  Therefore  though  the  king- 
dom was  weakened  by  the  revolt  of  the  ten  tribes,  yet  the  cove- 
nant, which  God  had  made  with  David  and  his  successors, 
could  not  but  stand,  as  he  also  declared  by  the  prophets:  "  I 
will  not  rend  away  all  the  kingdom;  but  will  give  one  tribe  to 
thy  son,  for  David  my  servant's  sake,  and  for  Jerusalem's  sake 
which  I  have  chosen."  (A)  This  is  repeated  again  and  again. 
It  is  also  expressly  added,  "  I  will  for  this  afflict  the  seed  of 
David,  but  not  for  ever."  (;')  At  a  little  distance  of  time  it  is 
said,  "  For  David's  sake  did  the  Lord  his  God  give  him  a 

0)  1  Sam.  11.  10.  (/)  Psalm  ii.  12.  (g )  John  v.  24. 

(A)  1  Kings  xi.  13.  (i)  1  Kings  xi.  39 


CHAP,  vi.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  363 

lamp  in  Jerusalem,  to  set  up  his  son  after  him,  and  to  establish 
Jerusalem."  (>£)  Even  when  the  state  was  come  to  the  verge 
of  ruin,  it  was  again  said,  "The  Lord  would  not  destroy 
Judah,  for  David  his  servant's  sake,  as  he  promised  him  to 
give  him  alway  a  light,  and  to  his  children."  (/)  The  sum  of 
the  whole  is  this:  that  David  alone  was  chosen,  to  the  rejection 
of  all  others,  as  the  perpetual  object  of  the  Divine  favour;  as  it 
is  said  in  another  place,  "  He  forsook  the  tabernacle  of  Shiloh; 
he  refused  the  tabernacle  of  Joseph,  and  chose  not  the  tribe  of 
Ephraim:  but  chose  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  mount  Zion, 
which  he  loved.  He  chose  David  also  his  servant,  to  feed 
Jacob  his  people,  and  Israel  his  inheritance."  (m)  Finally,  it 
hath  pleased  God  to  preserve  his  church  in  such  a  way,  that 
its  security  and  salvation  should  depend  on  that  head.  David 
therefore  exclaims,  "  The  Lord  is  their  strength,  and  he  is 
the  saving  strength  of  his  anointed;"  (rc)  and  immediately 
adds  this  petition:  "  Save  thy  people,  and  bless  thine  inhe- 
ritance:" signifying  that  the  state  of  the  Church  is  inseparably 
connected  with  the  government  of  Christ.  In  the  same  sense  he 
elsewhere  says,  "Save,  Lord;  let  the  king  hear  us  when  we 
call."  (0)  In  these  words  he  clearly  teaches  us  that  the  faith- 
ful resort  to  God  for  assistance,  with  no  other  confidence  than 
because  they  are  sheltered  under  the  protection  of  the  king. 
This  is  to  be  inferred  from  another  Psalm:  "  Save,  O  Lord! 
blessed  be  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord:"  (/>)  where 
it  is  sufficiently  evident  that  the  faithful  are  invited  to  Christ, 
that  they  may  hope  to  be  saved  by  the  power  of  God.  The  same 
thing  is  alluded  to  in  another  prayer,  where  the  whole  Church 
implores  the  mercy  of  God:  "  Let  thy  hand  be  upon  the  man 
of  thy  right  hand,  upon  the  Son  of  man  whom  thou  madest 
strong  for  thyself."  (7)  For  though  the  author  of  the  Psalm 
deplores  the  dissipation  of  all  the  people,  yet  he  ardently 
prays  for  their  restoration  in  their  head  alone.  But  when 
Jeremiah,  after  the  people  were  driven  into  exile,  the  land  laid 
waste,  and  all  things  apparently  ruined,  bewails  the  miseries  of 
the  Church,  he  principally  laments  that  by  the  subversion  of 

(*)  1  Kings  xv.  4.     (/)  2  Kings  viii.  19.     (m)  Psalm  lxxviii.60,  67,  68,  70,  71. 
(n)  Psalm  xxviii.  8.  (o)  Psalm  xx.  9.          (/»)  Psalm  cxviii.  25,  26. 
(?)  Psalm  Ixxx.  17. 


364  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

the  kingdom,  the  hope  of  the  faithful  was  cut  off.  "  The  breath 
of  our  nostrils,  the  anointed  of  the  Lord,  was  taken  in  their 
pits,  of  whom  we  said,  Under  his  shadow  we  shall  live  among 
the  heathen."  (r)  Hence  it  is  sufficiently  evident,  that  since 
God  cannot  be  propitious  to  mankind  but  through  the  Medi- 
ator, Christ  was  always  exhibited  to  the  holy  fathers  under 
the  law,  as  the  object  to  which  they  should  direct  their  faith. 

III.  Now  when  consolation  is  promised  in  affliction,  but 
especially  when  the  deliverance  of  the  Church  is  described,  the 
standard  of  confidence  and  hope  is  erected  in  Christ  alone: 
"  Thou  wentest  forth  for  the  salvation  of  thy  people,  even  for 
salvation  with  thine  anointed,"  (*)  says  Habakkuk.  And 
whenever  the  prophets  mention  the  restoration  of  the  Church, 
theyrecal  the  people  to  the  promise  given  to  David  concerning 
the  perpetuity  of  his  kingdom.  Nor  is  this  to  be  wondered  at, 
for  otherwise  there  would  be  no  stability  in  the  covenant.  To 
this  refers  the  memorable  answer  of  Isaiah.  For  when  he  saw- 
that  his  declaration  concerning  the  raising  of  the  siege,  and 
the  present  deliverance  of  Jerusalem,  was  rejected  by  that  un- 
believing king,  Ahaz,  he  makes  rather  an  abrupt  transition  to 
the  Messiah:  "  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  conceive,  and  bear  a 
son:"  (f)  indirectly  suggesting,  that  although  the  king  and 
the  people  in  their  perverseness  rejected  the  promise  which  had 
been  given  them,  as  though  they  would  purposely  labour  to 
invalidate  the  truth  of  God,  yet  that  his  covenant  would  not  be 
frustrated,  but  that  the  Redeemer  should  come  at  his  appointed 
time.  Finally,  all  the  prophets,  in  order  to  display  the  Divine 
mercy,  were  constantly  careful  to  exhibit  to  view  that  king- 
dom of  David,  from  which  redemption  and  eternal  salvation, 
were  to  proceed.  Thus  Isaiah:  "I  will  make  an  everlasting 
covenant  with  you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David.  Behold, 
I  have  given  him  for  a  witness  to  the  people."  (u)  Because 
in  desperate  circumstances  the  faithful  could  have  no  hope, 
any  otherwise  than  by  his  interposition  as  a  witness,  that 
God  would  be  merciful  to  them.  Thus  also  Jeremiah,  to 
comfort  them  who  were  in  despair,  says,  "  Behold,  the  days 
come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  raise  unto  David  a  righteous 

(r)  Lara.  iv.  20.  (*)  Hab.  iii.  13. 

(0  Isaiah  vii.  14.  (w)  Isaiah  Iv.  3. 


«HAP.  vi.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  365 

Branch.  In  his  days  Judah  shall  be  saved,  and  Israel  shall 
dwell  safely."  (w)  And  Ezekiel:  "  I  will  set  up  one  Shepherd 
over  them,  and  he  shall  feed  them,  even  my  servant  David. 
And  I  the  Lord  will  be  their  God,  and  my  servant  David  a 
prince  among  them;  and  I  will  make  with  them  a  covenant  of 
peace."  (x)  Again,  in  another  place,  having  treated  of  their 
incredible  renovation,  he  says,  "  David  my  servant  shall  be 
king  over  them;  and  they  all  shall  have  one  Shepherd. 
Moreover  I  will  make  a  covenant  of  peace  with  them;  it  shall 
be  an  everlasting  covenant  with  them."  (t/)  I  select  a  few 
passages  out  of  many,  because  I  only  wish  to  apprize  the 
reader,  that  the  hope  of  the  pious  has  never  been  placed  any 
where  but  in  Christ.  All  the  other  prophets  also  uniformly 
speak  the  same  language.  As  Hosea:  "Then  shall  the  chil- 
dren of  Judah  and  the  children  of  Israel  be  gathered  together, 
and  appoint  themselves  one  head."  (z)  And  in  a  subsequent 
chapter  he  is  still  more  explicit:  "  The  children  of  Israel  shall 
return,  and  seek  the  Lord  their  God,  and  David  their  king."  (a) 
Micah  also,  discoursing  on  the  return  of  the  people,  expressly 
declares,  "  their  king  shall  pass  before  them,  and  the  Lord  on 
the  head  of  them."  (£)  Thus  Amos,  intending  to  predict  the 
restoration  of  the  people,  says,  "  In  that  day  I  will  raise  up 
the  tabernacle  of  David  that  is  fallen,  and  close  up  the  breaches 
thereof;  and  I  will  raise  up  his  ruins."  (c)  This  implies  that 
the  only  standard  of  salvation  was  the  restoration  of  the  regal 
dignity  in  the  family  of  David,  which  was  accomplished  in 
Christ.  Zechariah  therefore,  living  nearer  to  the  time  of  the 
manifestation  of  Christ,  more  openly  exclaims,  "  Rejoice 
greatly,  O  daughter  of  Zion;  shout,  O  daughter  of  Jerusalem: 
behold,  thy  King  cometh  unto  thee:  he  is  just,  and  having 
salvation."  (d)  This  corresponds  with  a  passage  from  a  Psalm, 
already  cited:  "  The  Lord  is  the  saving  strength  of  his 
anointed.  Save  thy  people:"  (i)  where  salvation  is  extended 
from  the  head  to  the  whole  body. 

IV.  It  was  the  will  of  God  that  the  Jews  should  be  instructed 
by  these  prophecies,  so  that  they  might  direct  their  eyes  to 

(IK)  Jer.  xsiii.  5,  6.     (a:)  Ezek.  xxxiv.  23—25.     O)  Ezek.  xxxvii.  24,  2& 

(z)  Hos.  i.  11.  (n)  Hos.  Hi.  5.  (6)  Mic.  ii.  13. 

(r)  Amos  ix.  11          (ri)  Zech.  5x.  9,  (?)  Psalm  xxviii.  8,9. 


366  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

Christ  whenever  they  wanted  deliverance.  Nor  indeed,  not- 
withstanding their  shameful  degeneracy,  could  the  memory  of 
this  general  principle  ever  be  obliterated;  that  God  would  be 
the  deliverer  of  the  Church  by  the  hand  of  Christ,  according 
to  his  promise  to  David;  and  that  in  this  manner  the  gratui- 
tous covenant,  in  which  God  had  adopted  his  elect,  would  at 
length  be  confirmed.  Hence  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  Christ, 
a  little  before  his  death,  entered  into  Jerusalem,  that  song  was 
heard  from  the  mouths  of  children,  "  Hosanna  to  the  Son  of 
David."  (y*)  For  the  subject  of  their  song  appears  to  have 
been  derived  from  a  sentiment  generally  received  and  avowed 
by  the  people,  that  there  remained  to  them  no  other  pledge  of 
the  mercy  of  God,  but  in  the  advent  of  the  Redeemer.  For 
this  reason  Christ  commands  his  disciples  to  believe  in  him, 
that  they  may  distinctly  and  perfectly  believe  in  God:  "Ye 
believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me."  (^  For  though,  strictly 
speaking,  faith  ascends  from  Christ  to  the  Father,  yet  he 
suggests,  that  though  it  were  even  fixed  on  God,  yet  it  would 
gradually  decline,  unless  he  interposed,  to  preserve  its  stabi- 
lity. The  majesty  of  God  is  otherwise  far  above  the  reach  of 
mortals,  who  are  like  worms  crawling  upon  the  earth.  Where- 
fore, though  I  do  not  reject  that  common  observation  that  God 
is  the  object  of  faith,  yet  I  consider  it  as  requiring  some  cor- 
rection. For  it  is  not  without  reason  that  Christ  is  called 
"  the  image  of  the  invisible  God;"  (A)  but  by  this  appellation 
we  are  reminded,  that  unless  God  reveal  himself  to  us  in 
Christ,  we  cannot  have  that  knowledge  of  him  which  is  neces- 
sary tojsalvation.  For  although  among  the  Jews  the  scribes  had 
by  false  glosses  obscured  the  declarations  of  the  prophets  con- 
cerning the  Redeemer,  yet  Christ  assumed  it  for  granted,  as 
if  allowed  by  common  consent,  that  there  was  no  other  remedy 
for  the  confusion  into  which  the  Jews  had  fallen,  nor  any 
other  mode  of  deliverance  for  the  Church,  but  the  exhibition 
of  the  Mediator.  There  was  not  indeed  such  a  general  know- 
ledge as  there  ought  to  have  been,  of  the  principle  taught  by 
Paul,  that  "  Christ  is  the  end  of  the  law;"  (t)  but  the  truth 
and  certainty  of  this  evidently  appears  both  from  the  law  itself1 

(/)  Matt.  xxi.  9.  (g)  John  xiv.  1. 

(*)  Col.  i.  15.  (i)  Rom.  x.  4. 


CHAP,  vi.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  36r 

and  from  the  prophets.  I  am  not  yet  treating  of  faith;  there 
will  be  a  more  suitable  place  for  that  subject  in  another  part  of 
the  work.  Only  let  this  be  well  fixed  in  the  mind  of  the 
reader;  that  the  first  step  to  piety  is  to  know  that  God  is 
our  Father,  to  protect,  govern,  and  support  us  till  he  gathers 
us  into  the  eternal  inheritance  of  his  kingdom:  that  hence  it 
is  plain,  as  we  have  before  asserted,  that  there  can  be  no 
saving  knowledge  of  God  without  Christ;  and  consequently 
l^hat  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  he  has  always  been 
manifested  to  all  the  elect,  that  they  might  look  to  him,  and 
repose  all  their  confidence  in  him.  In  this  sense  Irenams  says 
that  the  Father,  who  is  infinite  in  himself,  becomes  finite  in 
the  Son;  because  he  has  accommodated  himself  to  our  capa- 

«_     -  r 

city,  that  he  may  not  overwhelm  our  minds  with  the  infinity  of 
his  glory.  (/£)  And  fanatics,  not  considering  this,  pervert  a  useful 
observation  into  an  impious  reverie,  as  though  there  were  in 
Christ  merely  a  portion  of  Deity,  an  emanation  from  the  infinite 
perfection:  whereas  the  sole  meaning  of  that  writer  is,  that 
God  is  apprehended  in  Christ,  and  in  him  alone.  The  asser- 
tion of  John  has  been  verified  in  all  ages,  "  Whosoever  denieth 
the  Son,  the  same  hath  not  the  Father."  (/)  For  though  many 
in  ancient  times  gloried  in  being  worshippers  of  the  supreme 
Deity,  the  Creator  of  heaven  and  earth;  yet  because  they  had 
no  Mediator,  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  have  any  real 
acquaintance  with  the  mercy  of  God,  or  persuasion  that  he  was 
their  Father.  Therefore,  as  they  did  not  hold  the  head,  that 
is,  Christ,  all  their  knowledge  of  God  was  obscure  and  un- 
settled; whence  it  came  to  pass,  that  degenerating  at  length  into 
gross  and  vile  superstitions,  they  betrayed  their  ignorance,  like 
the  Turks  in  modern  times;  who,  though  they  boast  of  having 
the  -Creator  of  heaven  and  earth  for  their  God,  yet  only  substi- 
tute an  idol  instead  of  the  true  God  as  long  as  they  remain 
enemies  to  Christ. 

(>)  Lib.  4.  c.  8.  (0  1  John  H.  2E. 


368  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Law  given,  not  to  confine  the  ancient  People  to  itself,  but 
to  encourage  their  Hope  of  Salvation  in  Christy  till  the  Time 
of  his  Coming. 

rROM  the  deduction  we  have  made,  it  may  easily  be  in- 
ferred, that  the  law  was  superadded  about  four  hundred  years 
after  the  death  of  Abraham,  not  to  draw  away  the  attention 
of  the  chosen  people  from  Christ,  but  rather  to  keep  their 
minds  waiting  for  his  advent,  to  inflame  their  desires  and 
confirm  their  expectations,  that  they  might  not  be  discouraged 
by  so  long  a  delay.  By  the  word  law,  I  intend,  not  only  the 
decalogue,  which  prescribes  the  rule  of  a  pious  and  righteous 
iife,  but  the  form  of  religion  delivered  from  God  by  the  hands 
of  Moses.  For  Moses  was  not  made  a  legislator  to  abolish 
the  blessing  promised  to  the  seed  of  Abraham;  on  the  con- 
trary, we  see  him  on  every  occasion  reminding  the  Jews  of 
that  gracious  covenant  made  with  their  fathers,  to  which 
they  were  heirs;  as  though  the  object  of  his  mission  had 
been  to  renew  it.  It  was  very  clearly  manifested  in  the  cere- 
monies. For  what  could  be  more  vain  or  frivolous  than 
for  men  to  offer  the  fetid  stench  arising  from  the  fat  of 
cattle,  in  order  to  reconcile  themselves  to  God?  or  to  resort 
to  any  aspersion  of  water  or  of  blood,  to  cleanse  themselves 
from  pollution?  In  short,  the  whole  legal  worship,  if  it  be 
considered  in  itself,  and  contain  no  shadows  and  figures  of 
correspondent  truths,  will  appear  perfectly  ridiculous.  Where- 
fore it  is  not  without  reason,  that  both  in  the  sermon  of  Stephen 
and  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  that  passage  is  so  carefully 
stated,  in  which  God  commands  Moses  to  make  all  things  per- 
taining to  the  tabernacle  "  according  to  the  pattern  shewed  to 
him  in  the  mount."  (m)  For  unless  there  had  been  some 
spiritual  design,  to  which  they  were  directed,  the  Jews  would 
have  laboured  to  no  purpose  in  these  observances,  as  the 
Gentiles  did  in  their  mummeries.  Profane  men,  who  have 

(TO)  Acts  vii.  44.     Heb.  viii.  5.    Ex.  xxv.  40. 


CHAP,  vii.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  369 

never  seriously  devoted  themselves  to  the  pursuit  of  piety,  have 
not  patience  to  hear  of  such  various  rites:  they  not  only  won- 
der, why  God  should  weary  his  ancient  people  with  such  a 
mass  of  ceremonies,  but  they  even  despise  and  deride  them  as 
puerile  and  ludicrous.  This  arises  from  inattention  to  the  end 
of  the  legal  figures,  from  which  if  those  figures  be  separated, 
they  must  be  condemned  as  vain  and  useless.  But  the  "pat- 
tern," which  is  mentioned,  shews  that  God  commanded  the 
sacrifices,  not  with  a  design  to  occupy  his  worshippers  in  ter- 
restrial exercises,  but  rather  that  he  might  elevate  their  minds 
to  sublimer  objects.  This  may  be  likewise  evinced  by  his 
nature;  for  as  he  is  a  Spirit,  he  is  pleased  with  none  but 
spiritual  worship.  Testimonies  of  this  truth  may  be  found 
in  the  numerous  passages  of  the  prophets,  in  which  they  re- 
prove the  stupidity  of  the  Jews  for  supposing  that  sacri- 
fices possess  any  real  value  in  the  sight  of  God.  Do  they 
mean  to  derogate  from  the  law?  Not  at  all;  but  being  true 
interpreters  of  it,  they  designed  by  this  method  to  direct  the 
eyes  of  the  people  to  that  point,  from  which  the  multitude 
were  wandering.  Now,  from  the  grace  offered  to  the  Jews, 
it  is  inferred  as  a  certain  truth,  that  the  law  was  not  irre- 
spective of  Christ:  for  Moses  mentioned  to  them  this  end  of 
their  adoption,  that  they  might  "be  unto  God  a  kingdom  of 
priests:"  (n)  which  could  not  be  attained  without  a  greater 
and  more  excellent  reconciliation  than  could  arise  from  the 
blood  of  beasts.  For  what  is  more  improbable  than  that 
the  sons  of  Adam,  who  by  hereditary  contagion  are  all  born 
the  slaves  of  sin,  should  be  exalted  to  regal  dignity,  and  thus 
become  partakers  of  the  glory  of  God,  unless  such  an  eminent 
blessing  should  proceed  from  some  other  source  than  them- 
selves? How  also  could  the  right  of  the  priesthood  remain 
among  them,  the  pollution  of  whose  crimes  rendered  them 
abominable  to  God,  unless  they  had  been  consecrated  in  a 
holy  head?  Wherefore  Peter  makes  an  elegant  application 
of  this  observation  of  Moses,  suggesting  that  the  plenitude 
of  that  grace,  of  which  the  Jews  enjoyed  a  taste  under  the 
law,  is  exhibited  in  Christ.  "  Ye  are,"  says  he,  *'  a  chosen 

(n)  Exod.  x'x.  6. 

VOL.  I.  3  A 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  u. 

generation,  a  royal  priesthood."  (o)  This  application  of  the 
words  tends  to  shew,  that  they,  to  whom  Christ  has  appeared 
under  the  Gospel,  have  obtained  more  than  their  forefathers; 
because  they  are  all  invested  with  sacerdotal  and  regal  honours, 
that  in  a  dependence  on  their  Mediator  they  may  venture  to 
come  boldly  into  the  presence  of  God. 

II.  And  here  it  must  be  remarked,  by  the  way,  that  the 
kingdom,  which  at  length  was  erected  in  the  family  of  David, 
is  a  part  of  the  law,  and  comprised  under  the  ministry  of 
Moses:  whence  it  follows,  that  both  in  the  posterity  of  David 
and  in  the  whole  Levitical  tribe,  as  in  a  twofold  mirror,  Christ 
was  exhibited  to  the  view  of  his  ancient  people.  For,  as  I  have 
just  observed,  it  was  otherwise  impossible  that  in  the  Divine 
view  they  should  be  kings  and  priests,  who  were  the  slaves 
of  sin  and  death,  and  polluted  by  their  own  corruptions. 
Hence  appears  the  truth  of  the  assertion  of  Paul,  that  the 
Jews  were  subject  as  it  were  to  the  authority  of  a  school- 
master, till  the  advent  of  that  Seed,  for  whose  sake  the  promise 
was  given.  (/>)  For  Christ  being  not  yet  familiarly  discovered, 
they  were  like  children,  whose  imbecility  could  not  yet  bear  the 
full  knowledge  of  heavenly  things.  But  how  they  were  led 
to  Christ  by  the  ceremonies,  has  been  already  stated,  and 
may  be  better  learned  from  the  testimonies  of  the  prophets. 
For  although  they  were  obliged  every  day  to  approach  God 
with  new  sacrifices  in  order  to  appease  him,  yet  Isaiah  pro- 
mises them  the  expiation  of  all  their  transgressions  by  a 
single  sacrifice:  (y)  which  is  confirmed  by  Daniel,  (r)  The 
priests,  chosen  from  the  tribe  of  Levi,  used  to  enter  into  the 
sanctuary;  but  concerning  that  one  priest  it  was  once  said,  that 
he  was  divinely  chosen  with  an  oath,  to  be  "  a  priest  for  ever 
after  the  order  of  Melchisedec."  (s)  There  was  then  an  unction 
of  visible  oil;  but  Daniel  from  his  vision  foretels  an  unction  of 
a  different  kind.  But  not  to  insist  on  many  proofs,  the  author 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  from  the  fourth  chapter  to  the 
eleventh,  demonstrates  in  a  manner  sufficiently  copious  and 
clear,  that,  irrespective  of  Christ,  all  the  ceremonies  of  the  law 
are  worthless  and  vain.  And  in  regard  to  the  decalogue,  we 

(o)  1  Peter  ii.  9.  (/>)  Gal.  iii.  24.  (9)  Isaiah  liii.  5,  &c 

(r)  Dan.  is.  26,  8tc.         (*)  Psalm  ex.  4. 


CHAP,  vii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  371 

should  attend  to  the  declaration  of  Paul,  that  "  Christ  is  the 
end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth;"  (<)  and  also  that  Christ  is  "  the  Spirit,"  who  "  giveth 
life"  to  the  otherwise  dead  letter,  (u)  For  in  the  former  passage 
he  signifies  that  righteousness  is  taught  in  vain  by  the  precepts, 
till  Christ  bestows  it  both  by  a  gratuitous  imputation,  and  by 
the  Spirit  of  regeneration.  Wherefore  he  justly  denominates 
Christ  the  completion,  or  end  of  the  law:  for  we  should  derive 
no  benefit  from  a  knowledge  of  what  God  requires  of  us, 
unless  we  were  succoured  by  Christ  when  labouring  and  op- 
pressed under  its  yoke  and  intolerable  burden*  In  another 
place,  he  states  that  "the  law  was  added  because  of  trans- 
gressions," (ry)  that  is  to  humble  men,  by  convicting  them  of 
being  the  causes  of  their  own  condemnation.  Now  this  being 
the  true  and  only  preparation  for  seeking  Christ,  the  various 
declarations  which  he  makes  are  in  perfect  unison  with  each 
other.  But  as  he  was  then  engaged  in  a  controversy  with 
erroneous  teachers,  who  pretended  that  we  merit  righteousness 
by  the  works  of  the  law;  in  order  to  refute  their  error,  he  was 
sometimes  obliged  to  use  the  term  law  in  a  more  restricted 
sense,  as  merely  preceptive,  although  it  was  otherwise  connected 
with  the  covenant  of  gratuitous  adoption. 

III.  But  it  is  worthy  of  a  little  inquiry,  how  we  are  rendered 
more  inexcusable  by  the  instructions  of  the  moral  law,  in  order 
that  a  sense  of  our  guilt  may  excite  us  to  supplicate  for  par- 
don? If  it  be  true  that  the  law  displays  a  perfection  of  righ- 
teousness, it  also  follows  that  the  complete  observation  of  it 
is  in  the  sight  of  God  a  perfect  righteousness,  in  which  a 
man  would  be  esteemed  and  reputed  righteous  at  the  tribunal 
of  heaven.  Wherefore  Moses,  when  he  had  promulgated  the 
law,  hesitated  not  to  "  call  heaven  and  earth  to  record"  (x) 
that  he  had  proposed  to  the  Israelites  life  and  death,  good 
and  evil.  Nor  can  we  deny  that  the  reward  of  eternal  life 
awaits  a  righteous  obedience  to  die  law,  according  to  the  Divine 
promise.  But  on  the  other  hand  it  is  proper  to  examine 
whether  we  perform  that  obedience,  the  merit  of  which  can 
warrant  our  confident  expectation  of  that  reward?  For  how 

(t)  Rom.  x.  4.  (v)  2  Cor.  iii.  17. 

(w)  Gal.  iii.  19.  (.v)  Deut.  xxx.  15,  19 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

unimportant  is  it  to  discover  that  the  reward  of  eternal  life 
depends  on  the  observance  of  the  law,  unless  we  also  ascer- 
tain whether  it  be  possible  for  us  to  arrive  at  eternal  life  in 
that  way!  But  in  this  point  the  weakness  of  the  law  is  mani- 
fest. For  as  none  of  us  are  found  to  observe  the  law,  we 
are  excluded  from  the  promises  of  life,  and  fall  entirely  under 
the  curse.  I  am  now  shewing,  not  only  what  does  happen, 
but  what  necessarily  must  happen.  For  the  doctrine  of  the 
law  being  far  above  human  ability,  man  may  view  the  pro- 
mises indeed  from  a  distance,  but  cannot  gather  any  fruit  from 
them.  It  only  remains  for  him,  from  their  goodness  to  form 
a  truer  estimate  of  his  own  misery,  while  he  reflects  that  all 
hope  of  salvation  is  cut  off,  and  that  he  is  in  imminent  danger 
of  death.  On  the  other  hand,  we  are  urged  with  terrible 
sanctions,  which  bind,  not  a  few  of  us,  but  every  individual  of 
mankind:  they  urge,  I  say,  and  pursue  us  with  inexorable 
rigour,  so  that  in  the  law  we  see  nothing  but  present  death. 

IV.  Therefore  if  we  direct  our  views  exclusively  to  the  la\v, 
the  effects  upon  our  minds  will  only  be  despondency,  confu- 
sion, and  despair,  since  it  condemns  and  curses  us  all,  and 
keeps  us  far  from  that  blessedness  which  it  proposes  to  them 
who  observe  it.  Does  the  Lord  then,  you  will  say,  in  this 
case  do  nothing  but  mock  us?  For  how  little  does  it  differ 
from  mockery,  to  exhibit  a  hope  of  felicity,  to  invite  and 
exhort  to  it,  to  declare  that  it  is  ready  for  our  reception, 
whilst  the  way  to  it  is  closed  and  inaccessible?  I  reply,  al- 
though the  promises  of  the  law,  being  conditional,  depend  on 
a  perfect  obedience  to  the  law,  which  can  no  where  be  found; 
yet  they  have  not  been  given  in  vain.  For  when  we  have 
learned  that  they  will  be  vain  and  inefficacious  to  us,  unless 
God  embrace  us  with  his  gratuitous  goodness,  without  any 
regard  to  crur  works,  and  unless  we  have  also  embraced  by 
faith  that  goodness,  as  exhibited  to  us  in  the  Gospel;  then 
these  promises  are  not  without  their  use,  even  with  the  con- 
dition annexed  to  them.  For  then  he  gratuitously  conf&rs 
every  thing  upon  us,  so  that  he  adds  this  also  to  the  number 
of  his  favours,  that  not  rejecting  our  imperfect  obedience,  but 
pardoning  its  deficiencies,  he  gives  us  to  enjoy  the  benefit  of 
the  legal  promises,  just  as  if  we  had  fulfilled  the  condition  our- 


XHAP.  Vii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  373 

selves.  But  as  we  shall  more  fully  discuss  this  question  when 
we  treat  of  the  justification  of  faith,  we  shall  pursue  it  no  fur- 
ther at  present. 

V.  Our  assertibn,  respecting  the  impossibility  of  observing 
the  law,  must  be  briefly  explained  and  proved;  for  it  is  generally 
esteemed  a  very  absurd  sentiment,  so  that  Jerome  has  not 
scrupled  to  denounce  it  as  accursed.  What  was  the  opinion 
of  Jerome,  I  regard  not;  let  us  inquire  what  is  truth.  I  shall 
not  here  enter  into  a  long  discussion  of  the  various  species  of 
possibility:  I  call  that  impossible  which  has  never  happened 
yet,  and  which  is  prevented  by  the  ordination  and  decree 
of  God  from  ever  happening  in  future.  If  we  inquire  from 
the  remotest  period  of  antiquity,  I  assert  that  there  never  has 
existed  a  saint,  who,  surrounded  with  a  body  of  death,  could 
attain  to  such  a  degree  of  love,  as  to  love  God  with  all  his  heart, 
with  all  his  soul,  and  with  all  his  mind:  and,  moreover,  that 
there  never  has  been  one,  who  was  not  the  subject  of  some 
inordinate  desire.  Who  can  deny  this?  I  know  indeed  what 
sort  of  saints  the  folly  of  superstition  imagines  to  itself,  such 
as  almost  excel  even  the  angels  of  heaven  in  purity;  but  such 
an  imagination  is  repugnant  both  to  Scripture  and  to  the  dic- 
tates of  experience.  I  assert  also  that  no  man,  who  shall 
exist  in  future,  will  reach  the  standard  of  true  perfection, 
unless  released  from  the  burden  of  the  body.  This  is  established 
by  clear  testimonies  of  Scripture:  Solomon  says,  "  There  is 
not  a  just  man  upon  earth,  that  doeth  good  and  sinneth 
not."  (z/)  David;  "  In  thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justi- 
fied." (2)  Job  in  many  passages  affirms  the  same  thing,  (a) 
But  Paul  most  plainly  of  all,  that  "  the  flesh  lusteth  against 
the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh."  (£)  Nor  does  he 
prove,  that  "as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law  are  under 
the  curse,"  by  any  other  reason  but  because  "  it  is  written, 
Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are 
written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them:"  (c)  evidently- 
suggesting,  and  even  taking  it  for  granted,  that  no  one 
can  continue  in  them.  Now  whatever  is  predicted  in  the 

(7)  Eccles.  vii.  20.  (2)  Psalm  cxliii.  2. 

(a)  Job  iv.  17.  ix.  '2.  xv.  14.  xxv.  4.         (6)  Gal.  v.  1". 
(c)  Gal.  iii.  10. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

Scriptures,  must  be  considered  as  perpetual,  and  even  a<= 
necessary.  With  a  similar  fallacy  Augustine  used  to  be  teased 
by  the  Pelagians,  who  maintained  that  it  is  an  injury  to  God, 
to  say  that  he  commands  more  than  the  faithful  through  his 
grace  are  able  to  perform.  To  avoid  their  cavil,  he  admitted 
that  the  Lord  might,  if  he  chose,  exalt  a  mortal  man  to  the 
purity  of  angels;  but  that  he  neither  had  ever  done  it,  nor 
would  ever  do  it,  because  he  had  declared  otherwise  in  the 
Scriptures.  (</)  This  I  do  not  deny;  but  I  add  that  it  is 
absurd  to  dispute  concerning  the  power  of  God,  in  opposition 
to  his  veracity;  and  that  therefore  it  affords  no  room  for 
cavilling,  when  any  one  maintains  that  to  be  impossible,  which 
the  Scriptures  declare  will  never  happen.  But  if  the  dispute 
be  about  the  term,  the  Lord,  in  reply  to  an  inquiry  of  his 
disciples,  "  Who  then  can  be  saved?"  says,  "  With  men  this 
is  impossible;  but  with  God  all  things  are  possible."  (e)  Au- 
gustine contends,  with  a  very  powerful  argument,  that  in  this 
flesh  we  never  render  to  God  the  legitimate  love  which  we  owe 
to  him.  "  Love,"  says  he,  "  is  an  effect  of  knowledge,  so  that 
no  man  can  perfectly  love  God,  who  has  not  first  a  complete 
knowledge  of  his  goodness.  During  our  pilgrimage  in  this 
world  we  see  through  an  obscure  medium:  the  consequence 
of  this  then  is,  that  our  love  is  imperfect."  It  ought  therefore 
to  be  admitted  without  controversy,  that  it  is  impossible  in 
this  carnal  state  to  fulfil  the  law,  if  we  consider  the  impo- 
tence of  our  nature,  as  will  elsewhere  be  proved  also  from 
Paul.  (/) 

VI.  But  for  the  better  elucidation  of  the  subject,  let  us 
state,  in  a  compendious  order,  the  office  and  use  of  what  is 
called  the  moral  law.  It  is  contained,  as  far  as  I  understand  it, 
in  these  three  points.  The  first  is,  that  while  it  discovers  the 
righteousness  of  God,  that  is,  the  only  righteousness  which  is 
acceptable  to  God,  it  warns  every  one  of  his  own  unrighteous- 
ness, places  it  beyond  all  doubt,  convicts,  and  condemns  him. 
For  it  is  necessary,  that  man,  blinded  and  inebriated  with  self- 
love,  should  thus  be  driven  into  a  knowledge  of  himself,  and  a 
confession  of  his  own  imbecility  and  impurity.  Since,  unless 

(<J)  Lib.  de  Nat.  et  Grat.     (e)  Matt.  xix.  25,  26.    (/)  Rom.  viii.  3,  &c. 


CHAP,  vii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  3?5 

his  vanity  be  evidently  repressed,  he  is  inflated  with  a  foolish 
confidence  in  his  strength,  and  can  never  be  brought  to  per- 
ceive its  feebleness  as  long  as  he  measures  it  by  the  rule  of 
his  own  fancy.  But  as  soon  as  he  begins  to  compare  it  to  the 
difficulty  of  the  law,  he  finds  his  insolence  and  pride  imme- 
diately abate.  For  how  great  soever  his  preconceived  opinion 
of  it,  he  perceives  it  immediately  pant  under  so  heavy  a  load, 
and  then  totter,  and  at  length  fall.  Thus  being  instructed 
under  the  tuition  of  the  law,  he  lays  aside  that  arrogance  with 
which  he  was  previously  blinded.  He  must  also  be  cured  of 
the  other  disease  of  pride  with  which  we  have  observed  he  is 
afflicted.  As  long  as  he  is  permitted  to  stand  in  his  own 
judgment,  he  substitutes  hypocrisy  instead  of  righteousness; 
contented  with  which,  he  rises  up  with  I  know  not  what  pre- 
tended righteousnesses  in  opposition  to  the  grace  of  God.  But 
when  he  is  constrained  to  examine  his  life  according  to  the 
rules  of  the  law,  he  no  longer  presumes  on  his  counterfeit 
righteousness,  but  perceives  that  he  is  at  an  infinite  distance 
from  holiness;  and  also  that  he  abounds  with  innumerable 
vices,  from  which  he  before  supposed  himself  to  be  pure.  For 
the  evils  of  concupiscence  are  concealed  in  such  deep  and 
intricate  recesses,  as  easily  to  elude  the  view  of  man.  And  it  is 
not  without  cause  that  the  Apostle  says,  "  I  had  not  known 
lust,  except  the  law  had  said,  Thou  shalt  not  covet:"  (^)  because 
unless  it  be  stripped  of  its  disguises  and  brought  to  light  by 
the  law,  it  destroys  the  miserable  man  in  so  secret  a  manner, 
that  he  does  not  perceive  its  fatal  dart. 

VII.  Thus  the  law  is  like  a  mirror,  in  which  we  behold  first 
our  impotence;  secondly,  our  iniquity  which  proceeds  from  it; 
and  lastly,  the  consequence  of  both,  our  obnoxiousness  to  the 
curse;  just  as  a  mirror  represents  to  us  the  spots  on  our  face. 
For  when  a  man  is  destitute  of  power  to  practise  righteous- 
ness, he  must  necessarily  fall  into  habits  of  sin.  And  sin  is 
immediately  followed  by  the  curse.  Therefore  the  greater 
the  transgression  of  which  the  law  convicts  us,  the  more  severe 
is  the  judgment  with  which  it  condemns  us.  This  appears 
from  the  observation  of  the  Apostle,  that  "  by  the  law  is  the 

(  #)  Rom.  vii.  7. 


376  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

knowledge  of  sin."  (A)  For  he  there  speaks  only  of  the  first 
office  of  the  law,  which  is  experienced  in  sinners  not  yet  re- 
generated. The  same  sentiment  is  conveyed  in  the  following 
passages:  that  "  the  law  entered,  that  the  offence  might 
abound;"  (z)  and  that  it  is  therefore  "  the  ministration  of  death, 
which  worketh  wrath  and  slayeth."  (£)  For  iniquity  un- 
doubtedly increases  more  and  more,  in  proportion  to  the  clear- 
ness of  that  sense  of  sin  which  strikes  the  conscience:  be- 
cause to  transgression  of  the  law,  there  is  then  added  contumacy 
against  the  lawgiver.  It  remains  therefore,  that  the  law  arm 
the  Divine  wrath  against  the  sinner;  for  of  itself  it  can  only 
accuse,  condemn,  and  destroy.  And,  as  Augustine  says,  ii 
we  have  not  the  Spirit  of  grace,  the  law  serves  only  to  convict 
and  slay  us.  But  this  assertion  neither  reflects  dishonour 
on  the  law,  nor  at  all  derogates  from  its  excellence.  Certainly, 
if  our  will  were  wholly  conformed  to  the  law,  and  disposed  to 
obey  it,  the  mere  knowledge  of  it  would  evidently  be  sufficient 
to  salvation.  But  since  our  carnal  and  corrupt  nature  is  in  a 
state  of  hostility  against  the  spirituality  of  the  Divine  law,  and 
not  amended  by  its  discipline,  it  follows,  that  the  law,  which 
was  given  for  salvation,  if  it  could  have  found  adequate  atten- 
tion, becomes  an  occasion  of  sin  and  death.  For  since  we  are 
all  convicted  of  having  transgressed  it,  the  more  clearly  it 
displays  the  righteousness  of  God,  so  on  the  contrary  the  more 
it  detects  our  iniquity:  and  the  more  certainly  it  confirms 
the  reward  of  life  and  salvation  reserved  for  the  righteous,  so 
much  the  more  certain  it  makes  the  perdition  of  the  wicked. 
These  expressions  therefore  are  so  far  from  being  dishonour- 
able to  the  law,  that  they  serve  more  illustriously  to  recom- 
mend the  Divine  goodness.  For  hence  it  really  appears,  that 
our  iniquity  and  depravity  prevent  us  from  enjoying  that 
blessed  life  which  is  revealed  to  all  men  in  the  law.  Hence 
the  grace  of  God,  which  succours  us  without  the  assistance  of 
the  law,  is  rendered  sweeter;  and  his  mercy,  which  confers  it 
on  us,  more  amiable;  from  which  we  learn  that  he  is  never 
wearied  with  repeating  his  blessings,  and  loading  us  with  new 
favours. 

fk}  Rom.  iii.  W.        (;)  Uom.  v.  20.        (*•)  2  Cor.  Hi.  7.  Rom.  iv.  15. 


CHAP,  vii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  37? 

VIII.  But  though  the  iniquity  and  condemnation  of  us  all 
is  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  the  law,  this  is  not  done,  (at 
least  if  we  properly  profit  by  it)  in  order  to  make  us  sink  into 
despair,  and  fall  over  the  precipice  of  despondency.  It  is  true 
that  the  wicked  are  thus  confounded  by  it,  but  this  is  occa- 
sioned by  the  obstinacy  of  their  hearts.  With  the  children  of 
God,  its  instruction  must  terminate  in  a  different  manner.  The 
Apostle  indeed  declares  that  we  are  all  condemned  by  the 
sentence  of  the  law,  "  that  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and 
all  the  world  may  become  guilty  before  God."  (/)  Yet  the 
same  Apostle  elsewhere  informs  us,  that  u  God  hath  con- 
cluded them  all  in  unbelief,"  not  that  he  might  destroy  or 
suffer  all  to  perish,  but  "  that  he  might  have  mercy  upon 
all:"  (rn)  that  is,  that  leaving  their  foolish  opinion  of  their 
own  strength,  they  may  know  that  they  stand,  and  are  sup- 
ported only  by  the  power  of  God;  that  being  naked  and 
destitute,  they  may  resort  for  assistance  to  his  mercy,  recline 
themselves  wholly  upon  it,  hide  themselves  entirely  in  it,  and 
embrace  it  alone  for  righteousness  and  merits,  since  it  is  offered 
in  Christ  to  all  who  with  true  faith  implore  it  and  expect  it. 
For  in  the  precepts  of  the  law,  God  appears  only,  on  the  one 
hand,  as  the  rewarder  of  perfect  righteousness,  of  which  we 
are  all  destitute;  and  on  the  other,  as  the  severe  judge  of 
transgressions.  But  in  Christ,  his  face  shines  with  a  pleni- 
tude of  grace  and  lenity,  even  towards  miserable  and  unworthy 
sinners. 

IX.  Of  making  use  of  the  law  to  implore  the  assistance 
of  God,  Augustine  frequently  treats;  as  when  he  writes  to 
Hilary:  "  The  law  gives  commands,  in  order  that,  endea- 
vouring to  perform  them,  and  being  wearied  through  our  infir- 
mity under  the  law,  we  may  learn  to  pray  for  the  assistance  of 
grace."  Also  to  Asellius:  "  The  utility  of  the  law  is  to  con- 
vince man  of  his  own  infirmity,  and  to  compel  him  to  pray 
for  the  gracious  remedy  provided  in  Christ."  Also  to  Inno- 
centius  Romanus:  "  The  law  commands:  grace  furnishes 
strength  for  the  performance."  Again,  to  Valentine:  "  God 
commands  what  we  cannot  perform,  that  we  may  know  for 

(/)  Rom.  iii.  19.  (w)  Rom.xi.  32. 

VOL.  I.  .3  B 


3/8  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11 

what  blessings  we  ought  to  supplicate  him."  Again:  "  The 
law  was  given  to  convict  you;  that  being  convicted  you  might 
fear,  that  fearing  you  might  pray  for  pardon,  and  not  presume 
on  your  own  strength."  Again:  "  The  end  for  which  the  law 
was  given,  was  to  diminish  that  which  was  great,  to  demonstrate 
that  you  have  of  yourself  no  ability  to  work  righteousness,  that 
thus  being  poor,  indigent,  and  destitute,  you  might  have  re- 
course to  grace  for  relief."  Afterwards  he  addresses  himself  to 
God:  "Thus  do,  O  Lord!  thus  do,  O  merciful  Lord!  com- 
mand that  which  cannot  be  performed:  even  command  that 
which  cannot  be  performed  without  thy  grace:  that  when  men 
cannot  perform  it  in  their  own  strength,  every  mouth  may 
be  stopped,  and  no  man  appear  great  in  his  own  estimation. 
Let  all  men  be  mean,  and  let  all  the  world  be  proved  guilty 
before  God."  But  I  am  not  wise  in  collecting  so  many  testi- 
monies, when  this  holy  man  has  written  a  treatise  expressly  on 
this  subject,  which  he  has  intitled,  De  Spiritu  et  Litera,  On 
the  Spirit  and  Letter.  The  second  use  of  the  law  he  does  not 
so  clearly  describe,  either  because  he  knew  that  it  depends  on 
the  .first,  or  because  he  did  not  so  fully  understand  it,  or  be- 
cause he  wanted  words  to  explain  it  with  distinctness  and  per- 
spicuity adequate  to  his  ideas  of  it.  Yet  this  first  office  of  the 
law  is  not  confined  to  the  pious,  but  extends  also  to  the  re- 
probate. For  though  they  do  not,  with  the  children  of  God, 
advance  so  far  as  after  the  mortification  of  the  flesh  to  be  re- 
newed and  to  flourish  again  in  the  inner  man,  but  confounded 
with  the  first  horrors  of  conscience,  remain  in  despair;  yet 
they  contribute  to  manifest  the  equity  of  the  Divine  judgment, 
by  their  consciences  being  agitated  with  such  violent  emo- 
tions. For  they  are  always  desirous  of  cavilling  against 
the  judgment  o*f  God:  but  now  while  it  is  not  yet  manifested, 
they  are  nevertheless  so  confounded  with  the  testimony  of  the 
law  and  of  their  own  conscience,  that  they  betray  in  themselves 
what  they  have  deserved. 

X.  The  second  office  of  the  law  is,  to  cause  those  who  without 
constraint  feel  no  concern  for  justice  and  rectitude,  when  they 
hear  its  terrible  sanctions,  to  be  at  least  restrained  by  a  fear 
of  its  penalties.  And  they  are  restrained,  not  because  it  inter- 
nally influences  or  aftects  their  minds;  but  because,  being 


CHAP,  vii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

chained,  as  it  were,  they  refrain  from  external  acts,  and  repress 
their  depravity  within  them,  which  otherwise  they  would  have 
wantonly  discharged.  This  makes  them  neither  better  nor 
more  righteous  in  the  Divine  view.  For  although,  being  pre- 
vented either  by  fear  or  by  shame,  they  dare  not  execute  what 
their  minds  have  contrived,  nor  openly  discover  the  fury  of 
their  passions,  yet  their  hearts  are  not  disposed  to  fear  and 
obey  God:  and  the  more  they  restrain  themselves,  the  more 
violently  they  are  inflamed  within;  they  ferment,  they  boil, 
ready  to  break  out  into  any  external  acts,  if  they  were  not  pre- 
vented by  this  dread  of  the  law.  And  not  only  so,  they  also 
inveterately  hate  the  law  itself,  and  execrate  God  the  lawgiver, 
so  that  if  they  could,  they  would  wish  to  annihilate  him 
whom  the.y  cannot  bear,  either  in  commanding  that  which  is 
right,  or  in  punishing  the  despisers  of  his  majesty.  In  some 
indeed  this  state  of  mind  is  more  evident,  in  others  more 
concealed;  but  it  is  really  the  case  of  all  who  are  yet  unre- 
generate,  that  they  are  induced  to  attend  to  the  law,  not  by  a 
voluntary  submission,  but  with  reluctance  and  resistance,  only 
by  the  violence  of  fear.  But  yet  this  constrained  and  extorted 
righteousness  is  necessary  to  the  community,  whose  public 
tranquillity  is  provided  for  by  God  in  this  instance,  while  he 
prevents  all  things  being  involved  in  confusion,  which  would 
certainly  be  the  case,  if  all  men  were  permitted  to  pursue  their 
own  inclinations.  Moreover  it  is  useful  even  to  the  children 
of  God,  to  be  exercised  by  its  discipline,  before  their  voca- 
tion, while  they  are  destitute  of  the  Spirit  of  sanctification, 
and  are  absorbed  in  carnal  folly.  For  when  the  dread  of 
divine  vengeance  restrains  them  even  from  external  licen- 
tiousness, although,  their  minds  being  not  yet  subdued,  they 
make  but  a  slow  progress  at  present,  yet  they  are  in  some 
measure  accustomed  to  bear  the  yoke  of  righteousness;  so 
that  when  they  are  called,  they  may  not  be  entirely  unaccus- 
tomed to  its  discipline  as  a  thing  altogether  unknown.  To 
this  office  of  the  law  the  Apostle  appears  particularly  to  have 
referred,  when  he  says,  "that  the  law  is  not  made  for  a 
righteous  man,  but  for  the  lawless  and  disobedient;  for  the 
ungodly  and  for  sinners;  for  unholy  and  profane;  for  mur- 
derers of  fathers  and  murderers  of  motlK-rs:  for 


J80  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

for  whoremongers,  for  them  that  defile  themselves  with  man- 
kind, for  men-stealers,  for  liars,  for  perjured  persons,  and  it 
there  be  any  other  thing  that  is  contrary  to  sound  doctrine."  («) 
For  he  here  signifies  that  it  restrains  the  violence  of  the  carnal 
desires,  which  would  otherwise  indulge  themselves  in  the  most 
unbounded  licentiousness. 

XI.  But  we  may  apply  to  both  what  he  elsewhere  asserts, 
that  to  the  Jews  "  the  law  was  a  schoolmaster  to  bring  them  to 
Christ:"  (o)  for  there  are  two  kinds  of  persons  who  are  led  to 
Christ  by  its  discipline.  Some  whom  we  mentioned  in  the 
first  place,  from  too  much  confidence  either  in  their  own 
strength  or  in  their  own  righteousness,  are  unfit  to  receive  the 
grace  of  Christ,  till  they  have  first  been  stripped  of  every 
thing.  The  law  therefore  reduces  them  to  humility  by  a 
knowledge  of  their  own  misery,  that  thus  they  may  be  pre- 
pared to  pray  for  that  of  which  they  before  supposed  them- 
selves not  destitute.  Others  need  a  bridle  to  restrain  them, 
lest  they  abandon  themselves  to  carnal  licentiousness,  to  such  a 
degree  as  wholly  to  depart  from  all  practice  of  righteousness. 
For  where  the  Spirit  does  not  yet  reign,  there  is  sometimes  such 
a  violent  ebullition  of  the  passions,  as  to  occasion  great  danger 
of  the  soul  that  is  under  their  influence  being  swallowed  up  in 
forgetfulness  and  contempt  of  God:  which  would  certainly  be 
the  case,  if  the  Lord  did  not  provide  this  remedy  against  it. 
Those  therefore  whom  he  hath  destined  to  the  inheritance  of 
his  kingdom,  if  he  do  not  immediately  regenerate  them,  he 
keeps  under  fear  by  the  works  of  the  law  till  the  time  of  his 
visitation;  not  that  chaste  and  pure  fear  which  ought  to  be  felt 
by  his  children,  but  a  fear  which  is  nevertheless  useful  to  train 
them,  according  to  their  capacity,  to  true  piety.  Of  this  we 
have  so  many  proofs,  that  there  is  no  need  to  adduce  any 
example.  For  all  who  have  lived  for  a  considerable  time  in 
ignorance  of  God,  will  confess  it  to  have  been  their  experience, 
that  they  were  constrained  by  the  law  to  a  certain  kind  of  fear 
and  reverence  of  God,  till  being  regenerated  by  his  Spirit,  the} 
began  to  love  him  from  their  hearts. 

XII.  The  third  use  of  the  law,  which  is  the  principal  one, 

(n)  I  Tim.  i.  9,  10.  0)  Gal.  iii.  24. 


CHAP.  VH.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  381 

and  which  is  more  nearly  connected  with  the  proper  end  of  it, 
relates  to  the  faithful,  in  whose  hearts  the  Spirit  of  God  already 
lives  and  reigns.  For  although  the  law  is  inscribed  and  en- 
graved on  their  hearts  by  the  finger  of  God;  that  is,  although 
they  are  so  excited  and  animated  by  the  direction  of  the  Spirit, 
that  they  dasire  to  obey  God;  yet  they  derive  a  twofold  ad- 
vantage from  the  law.  For  they  find  it  an  excellent  instru- 
ment to  give  them  from  day  to  day  a  better  and  more  certain 
understanding  of  the  Divine  will  to  which  they  aspire,  and  to 
confirm  them  in  the  knowledge  of  it.  As,  though  a  servant  be 
already  influenced  by  the  strongest  desire  of  gaining  the  appro- 
bation of  his  master,  yet  it  is  necessary  for  him  carefully  to 
inquire  and  observe  the  orders  of  his  master  in  order  to  conform 
to  them.  Nor  let  any  one  of  us  exempt  himself  from  this  ne- 
cessity: for  no  man  has  already  acquired  so  much  wisdom, 
that  he  could  not  by  the  daily  instruction  of  the  law  make  new 
advances  into  a  purer  knowledge  of  the  Divine  will.  In  the 
next  place,  as  we  need  not  only  instruction,  but  also  exhorta- 
tion, the  servant  of  God  will  derive  this  further  advantage  from 
the  law;  by  frequent  meditation  on  it  he  will  be  excited  to  obe- 
dience, he  will  be  confirmed  in  it,  and  restrained  from  the  slippery- 
path  of  transgression.  For  in  this  manner  should  the  saints 
stimulate  themselves,  because,  with  whatever  alacrity  they  labour 
for  the  righteousness  of  God  according  to  the  Spirit,  yet  they 
are  always  burdened  with  the  indolence  of  the  flesh,  which 
prevents  their  proceeding  with  due  promptitude.  To  this  flesh 
the  law  serves  as  a  whip,  urging  it  like  a  dull  and  tardy  ani- 
mal forwards  to  its  work;  and  even  to  the  spiritual  man,  who 
is  not  yet  delivered  from  the  burden  of  the  flesh,  it  will  be  a 
perpetual  spur,  that  will  not  permit  him  to  loiter.  To  this  use 
of  the  law  David  referred  when  he  celebrated  it  in  such  re- 
markable encomiums  as  these:  "  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  per- 
fect, converting  the  soul:  the  statutes  of  the  Lord  are  right, 
rejoicing  the  heart:  the  commandment  of  the  Lord  is  pure, 
enlightening  the  eyes,"  &c.  (/>)  Again,  "  Thy  word  is  a  lamp 
unto  my  feet,  and  a  light  unto  my  path,"  (y)  and  many  others, 
which  he  introduces  in  every  part  of  this  Psalm.  Nor  arc  these 

(/O  Psalm  six.  7,  6.  <?)  rsalm  cxix.  105. 


a8i:  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

assertions  repugnant  to  those  of  Paul,  in  which  he  shews,  nut 
what  service  the  law  renders  to  the  regenerate,  but  what  it  can 
bestow  upon  man  merely  of  itself;  whereas  the  Psalmist  in  these 
passages  celebrates  the  great  advantage  derived,  through  the 
Divine  teaching,  from  the  reading  of  the  law,  by  those  whom 
God  inspires  with  an  inward  promptitude  to  obedience.  And 
he  adverts  not  only  to  the  precepts  but  to  the  promise  of  grace 
annexed  to  their  performance,  which  alone  causes  that  which 
is  bitter  to  become  sweet.  For  what  would  be  less  amiable 
than  the  law,  if  by  accusations  and  threats  it  only  distressed 
the  mind  with  fear,  and  harassed  it  with  terror?  But  David 
particularly  shews,  that  in  the  law  he  discovered  the  Mediator, 
without  whom  there  is  nothing  pleasant  or  delightful. 

XIII.  Some  unskilful  men,  being  unable  to  discern  this 
distinction,  rashly  explode  Moses  altogether,  and  discard  the 
two  tables  of  the  law;  because  they  consider  it  improper  for 
Christians  to  adhere  to  a  doctrine  which  contains  the  adminis- 
tration of  death.  Far  from  us  be  this  profane  opinion,  for 
Moses  hath  abundantly  taught  us,  that  the  law,  which  in 
sinners  can  only  produce  death,  ought  to  have  a  better  and 
more  excellent  use  in  the  saints.  For  just  before  his  death  he 
thus  addressed  the  people:  "  Set  your  hearts  unto  all  the 
words  which  I  testify  among  you  this  day,  which  ye  shall 
command  your  children  to  observe  to  do,  all  the  words  of  this 
iaw.  For  it  is  not  a  vain  thing  for  you;  because  it  is  your 
life."  (r)  But  if  no  one  can  deny  that  the  law  exhibits  a  per- 
fect model  of  righteousness,  either  we  ought  to  have  no  rule 
for  an  upright  and  just  life,  or  it  is  criminal  for  us  to  deviate 
from  it.  For  there  are  not  many  rules  of  life,  but  one,  which 
is  perpetually  and  immutably  the  same.  Wherefore,  when 
David  represents  the  life  of  a  righteous  man  as  spent  in  con- 
tinual meditations  on  the  law,  (s)  we  must  not  refer  it  to 
one  period  of  time  only,  because  it  is  very  suitable  for  all  ages, 
even  to  the  end  of  the  world.  Let  us  neither  be  deterred 
therefore,  nor  fly  from  its  instructions,  because  it  prescribes  a 
holiness  far  more  complete  than  we  shall  attain,  as  long  as  we 
remain  in  the  prison  of  the  body.  For  it  no  longer  exercise<- 

(r)  Ueut.  xxxii.  46,  47 


CHAP,  vii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  383 

towards  us  the  part  of  a  rigorous  exactor,  only  to  be  satisfied  by 
the  perfect  performance  of  every  injunction;  but  in  this  per- 
tection,  to  which  it  exhorts  us,  it  shews  us  a  goal,  to  aim  at 
which  during  the  whole  of  our  lives,  would  be  equally  condu- 
cive to  our  interest  and  consistent  with  our  duty:  in  which 
attempt  it  is  happy  for  us  if  we  fail  not.  For  the  whole  of 
this  life  is  a  course,  which  when  we  have  completed,  the  Lord 
will  grant  us  to  reach  that  goal,  towards  which  at  so  great  a 
distance  our  efforts  are  now  vigorously  directed. 

XIV.  Now  because  the  law  in  regard  to  the  faithful  has 
the  force  of  an  exhortation,  not  to  bind  their  consciences  with 
a  curse,  but  by  its  frequent  admonitions  to  arouse  their  indo- 
lence, and  reprove  their  imperfection;  many  persons,  when 
they  design  to  express  this  liberation  from  its  curse,  say  that 
the  law  (I  still  speak  of  the  moral  law)  is  abrogated  to  the 
faithful;  not  that  it  no  longer  enjoins  upon  them  that  which 
is  right,  but  only  that  it  ceases  to  be  to  them  what  it  was  before, 
no  longer  terrifying  and  confounding  their  consciences,  con- 
demning and  destroying  them.  And  such  an  abrogation  of  the 
law  is  clearly  taught  by  Paul.  It  appears  also  to  have  been 
preached  by  our  Lord,  since  he  would  not  have  refuted  the 
opinion  concerning  his  abolishing  the  law,  unless  it  had  pre- 
vailed among  the  Jews.  Now  as  this  opinion  could  not  prevail 
without  any  pretext,  it  is  probable  that  it  proceeded  from  a 
false  interpretation  of  his  doctrine;  in  the  same  manner  as 
almost  all  errors  have  usually  taken  some  colour  from  the 
truth.  But  lest  we  ourselves  fall  into  the  same  error,  let 
us  accurately  distinguish  what  is  abrogated  in  the  law,  and 
what  still  remains  in  force.  When  the  Lord  declares  that  he 
came  "  not  to  destroy  the  law,  but  to  fulfil  it;"  and  that  "  till 
heaven  and  earth  shall  pass,  one  jot  or  one  tittle  shall  in  no 
wise  pass  from  the  law,  till  all  be  fulfilled,"  (;)  he  sufficiently 
proves  that  his  advent  will  detract  nothing  from  the  observance 
of  the  law.  And  with  sufficient  reason,  since  the  express  end  of 
his  advent  was  to  heal  its  transgressions.  The  doctrine  of  the 
law  remains  therefore  inviolable;  which  by  tuition,  admonition, 

CO  Matt.  Y.  17,  18. 


384  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

reproof,  and  correction,  forms  and  prepares  us  for  every  good 
work. 

XV.  The  assertions  of  Paul  respecting  the  curse  evidently 
relate,  not  to  the  instruction  itself,  but  to  the  power  of  binding 
the    conscience.    For    the    law    not  only  teaches,    but  autho- 
ritatively requires,  obedience  to  its  commands.    If  this  obe- 
dience be  not  yielded,  and  even  if  there  be  any  partial  defi- 
ciency of  duty,  it  hurls  the  thunderbolt  of  its  curse.    For  this 
reason  the  apostle  says,  that  "  as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of 
the  law  are  under  the  curse;  for  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every 
one  that  continueth    not    in    all  things."  (u)  Now  he  affirms 
them  to  be  "  of  the   works  of  the  law,"  who  place  not  their 
righteousness  in  the  remission  of  sins  by  which  we  are  released 
from  the  rigour  of  the  law.    He  teaches  us  therefore  that  we 
must  be  released  from  the  bondage  of  the  law,  unless  we  would 
perish  in  misery  under  it.    But  what  bondage?  the  bondage 
of  that  austere  and  rigid  exaction,  which  remits  nothing  from 
its  strictest  requirements,  and  permits  no  transgression  to  pass 
with  impunity:  from  this  curse,  I  say,  Christ,  in  order  to  re- 
deem  us,    was    "made    a   curse    for   us.    For    it  is   written, 
Cursed  is  every  one  that  hangeth  on  a  tree."  (TO)   In  the  fol- 
lowing chapter  indeed  he  tells  us,    that    Christ  was    "  made 
under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law:"  but 
in  the  same  sense;  for  he  immediately  adds,  "  that  we  might 
receive    the  adoption    of   sons."  (*v)    What    is    this?    that  we 
might   not   be  oppressed    with  a  perpetual  servitude,    which 
would  keep  our  consciences  in  continual  distress  with  the  dread 
of  death.    At  the  same  time  this  truth  remains  for  ever  un- 
shaken, that  the  law  has  sustained  no  diminution  of  its  autho- 
rity, but  ought  always  to  receive  from  us  the  same  veneration 
and  obedience. 

XVI.  The  case  of  ceremonies,  which  have  been  abrogated, 
not  as  to  their  effect,  but  only  as  to  their  use,  is  very  different. 
Their  having  been  abolished  by  the  advent  of  Christ,  is  so  far 
from  derogating  from  their  sanctity,  that  it  rather  recommends 
and   renders    it   more    illustrious.     For    as    they    must  have 

»  Gal.  iii.  10.  fv.-)  Gal.  iii.  13.  (x)  GaL  iv.  4,  5. 


CHAP,  vii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  385 

exhibited  to  the  people  in  ancient  times  a  vain  spectacle,  un- 
less they  had  discovered  the  virtue  of  the  death  and  resurrec- 
tion of  Christ:  so,  if  they  had  not  ceased,  we  should  in  the 
present  age  have  been  unable  to  discern  for  what  purpose  they 
were  instituted.  To  prove  therefore  that  the  observance  of 
them  is  not  only  needless,  but  even  injurious,  Paul  teaches  us 
that  they  were  shadows,  the  body  of  which  we  have  in  Christ,  (j/) 
We  see  then,  that  the  truth  shines  with  greater  splendour  in 
their  abolition,  than  if  they  still  continued  to  give  a  distant 
and  obscure  representation  of  Christ,  who  hath  openly  ap- 
peared. For  this  reason,  at  the  death  of  Christ,  "  the  veil  of 
the  temple  was  rent  in  twain  from  the  top  to  the  bottom:"  (z) 
because,  according  to  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews, 
the  living  and  express  image  of  the  heavenly  blessings,  which 
before  had  been  only  sketched  in  obscure  lineaments,  was  now 
clearly  revealed.  The  same  truth  is  conveyed  in  the  declara- 
tion of  Christ,  that  "  the  law  and  the  prophets  were  until 
John:  since  that  time  the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached."  (a) 
Not  that  the  holy  fathers  had  been  destitute  of  that  preaching, 
which  contains  the  hope  of  salvation,  and  of  eternal  life;  but 
because  they  saw  only  at  a  distance  and  under  shadows,  what 
we  now  contemplate  in  open  day.  But  the  reason,  why  it 
was  necessary  for  the  Church  of  God  to  ascend  from  those 
rudiments  to  sublimer  heights,  is  explained  by  John  the  Bap- 
tist; "  the  law  was  given  by  Moses,  but  grace  and  truth  came 
by  Jesus  Christ."  (£)  For  although  expiation  of  sin  was  truly 
promised  in  the  ancient  sacrifices,  and  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
was  a  certain  pledge  *f  the  paternal  favour  of  God:  all  these 
would  have  been  mere  shadows,  if  they  had  not  been  founded 
in  the  grace  of  Christ,  where  alone  we  may  find  true  and  eter- 
nal stability.  Let  us  firmly  maintain  then  that  though  the 
legal  rights  have  ceased  to  be  observed,  yet  their  very  discon- 
tinuance gives  us  a  better  knowledge  of  their  great  utility  be- 
fore the  advent  of  Christ,  who,  abolishing  the  fc.'servance  of 
them,  confirmed  their  virtue  and  efficacy  in  his  death. 

XVII.  The  reasoning  of  Paul  is  attended  with  more  diffi- 
culty: "  And  you,  being  dead  in  your  sins,  and  the  uncircum- 

(y)  Col.  ii.  17.  0)  Matt,  xxvii.  51.        i 

•  (a)  Luke  xvi.  16.  (4)  John  i.  17. 

VOL.  I.  3  C 


386  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

cision  of  your  flesh,  hath  he  quickened  together  with  him, 
having  forgiven  you  all  trespasses;  blotting  out  the  hand- 
writing of  ordinances  that  was  against  us,  which  was  contrary 
to  us,  and  took  it  out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  his  cross,"  &c.  (c) 
For  it  seems  to  extend  the  abolition  of  the  law  somewhat  fur- 
ther, as  though  we  had  now  no  concern  with  its  "  ordinances." 
For  they  are  in  an  error,  who  understand  it  simply  of  the 
moral  law,  the  abolition  of  which  they  nevertheless  explain  to 
relate  to  its  inexorable  severity,  rather  than  to  its  precepts. 
Others,  more  acutely  and  carefully  considering  the  words  of 
Paul,  perceive  that  they  belong  particularly  to  the  ceremonial 
law:  and  prove  that  the  word  "  ordinances"  is  more  than  once 
used  by  Paul  in  that  signification.  For  he  thus  expresses  him- 
self to  the  Ephesians:  "  He  is  our  peace,  who  hath  made 
both  one;  having  abolished  the  law  of  commandments  con- 
tained in  ordinances;  for  to  make  in  himself  of  twain  one 
new  man."  (J)  That  he  there  speaks  of  the  ceremonies,  is  very 
evident:  for  he  calls  the  law  "  the  middle  wall  of  partition,"  by 
which  the  Jews  were  separated  from  the  Gentiles.  Where- 
fore I  allow  that  the  former  commentators  are  justly  censured 
by  these:  but  even  these  do  not  appear  to  me  clearly  to  ex- 
plain the  meaning  of  the  apostle.  For  to  compare  these  two 
passages  as  in  all  respects  similar,  is  what  I  by  no  means  ap- 
prove. When  he  designs  to  assure  the  Ephesians  of  their 
admission  into  fellowship  with  the  Israelites,  he  informs  them, 
that  the  impediment  which  formerly  prevented  it  was  now 
removed.  That  consisted  in  ceremonies.  For  the  rites  of 
ablutions  and  sacrifices,  by  which  the  Je\»s  were  consecrated  to 
the  Lord,  caused  a  separation  between  them  and  the  Gentiles. 
But  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians  he  treats  of  a  sublimer 
mystery.  The  controversy  there  relates  to  the  Mosaic  observ- 
ances, to  which  the  false  apostles  were  strenuously  attempting 
to  subject  the  Christians.  But  as  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Gala- 
tians  he  goes  to  the  depth  of  that  controversy,  and  reduces  it  to 
its  source;  so  also  in  this  place.  For  if  in  the  rites  you  con- 
template nothing  but  the  necessity  of  performing  them,  to  what 
purpose  were  they  called  a  "  hand- writing  that  was  against 

(c)  Col.  ii.  13,  14.  (J)  Ephes.  ii.  14,  15. 


CHAP,  vii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

us?"  and  almost  the  whole  of  our  redemption  made  to  consist 
in  its  being  "  blotted  out?"  Wherefore  it  is  evident,  that  here 
is  something  to  be  considered  beside  the  external  ceremonies. 
And  I  am  persuaded  that  I  have  discovered  the  genuine  mean- 
ing, at  least  if  that  be  conceded  to  me  as  a  truth,  which  Augus- 
tine somewhere  very  truly  asserts,  and  which  he  has  even  bor- 
rowed from  the  positive  expressions  of  an  apostle,  (e)  that  in 
the  Jewish  ceremonies  there  was  rather  a  confession  of  sins 
than  an  expiation  of  them.  For  what  did  they  do  in  offering 
sacrifices,  but  confess  themselves  worthy  of  death,  since  they 
substituted  victims  to  be  slain  in  their  stead?  What  were  their 
purifications,  but  confessions  that  they  were  themselves  impure? 
Thus  the  hand-writing  both  of  their  sin  and  of  their  impurity 
was  frequently  renewed  by  them:  but  that  confession  afforded 
no  deliverance.  For  which  reason  the  apostle  says  that  the 
death  of  Christ  effected  "  the  redemption  of  the  transgressions 
that  were  under  the  first  testament."  (f)  The  apostle  there- 
fore justly  denominates  the  ceremonies  "a  hand-writing  against 
those  who  observe  them:"  because  by  them  they  publicly 
attested  their  condemnation  and  impurity.  Nor  does  any  ob- 
jection arise  from  their  having  been  also  partakers  of  the  same 
grace  with  us.  For  this  they  obtained  in  Christ,  not  in  the 
ceremonies,  which  the  apostle  there  distinguishes  from  Christ, 
for  being  practised  at  that  time  after  the  introduction  of  the 
Gospel,  they  obscured  the  glory  of  Christ.  We  find  then  that 
the  ceremonies,  considered  by  themselves,  are  elegantly  and 
appositely  called  a  "  hand-writing  that  was  against"  the  :  al- 
vation  of  men;  because  they  were  solemn  instruments  testifying 
their  guilt.  When  the  false  apostles  wished  to  bring  the 
Church  back  to  the  observance  of  them,  the  apostle  deeply  in- 
vestigated their  signification,  and  very  justly  admonished  the 
Colossians  into  what  circumstances  they  would  relapse,  if  they 
should  suffer  themselves  to  be  thus  inslaved  by  them.  For 
they  would  at  the  same  time  be  deprived  of  the  benefit  of 
Christ:  since  by  the  eternal  expiation  that  he  has  effected, 
he  has  abolished  those  daily  observances,  which  could  only 
attest  their  sins,  but  could  never  cancel  them. 

(0  Heb.  x.  3—14.  (/)  Heb.  ix.  15. 


388  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11- 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

An  Exposition  of  the  Moral  Law. 

XlERE  I  think  it  will  not  be  foreign  to  our  subject  to 
introduce  the'  ten  precepts  of  the  law,  with  a  brief  exposition 
of  them.  For  this  will  more  clearly  evince  what  I  have 
suggested,  that  the  service  which  God  hath  once  prescribed 
always  remains  in  full  force;  and  will  also  furnish  us  with  a 
confirmation  of  the  second  remark,  that  the  Jews  not  only 
learned  from  it  the  nature  of  true  piety,  but  when  they  saw 
their  inability  to  observe  it,  were  led  by  the  fear  of  its  sentence, 
though  not  without  reluctance,  to  the  Mediator.  Now  in 
giving  a  summary  of  those  things  which  are  requisite  to  the 
true  knowledge  of  God,  we  have  shewn  that  we  can  form  no 
conceptions  of  his  greatness,  but  his  majesty  immediately  dis- 
covers itself  to  us,  to  constrain  us  to  worship  him.  In  the 
knowledge  of  ourselves  we  have  laid  down  this  as  a  principal 
article,  that  being  divested  of  all  opinion  of  our  own  strength, 
and  confidence  in  our  own  righteousness,  and  on  the  other 
hand  discouraged  and  depressed  by  a  consciousness  of  our  po- 
verty, we  should  learn  true  humility  and  self-dejection.  The 
Lord  accomplishes  both  these  things  in  the  law,  where,  in  the 
first  place,  claiming  to  himself  the  legitimate  authority  to  com- 
mand, he  calls  us  to  revere  his  Divinity,  and  prescribes  the 
parts  of  which  this  reverence  consists:  and  in  the  next  place, 
promulgating  the  rule  of  his  righteousness  (the  rectitude  of 
which,  our  nature,  being  depraved  and  perverted,  perpetually 
opposes;  and  from  the  perfection  of  which,  our  ability,  through 
its  indolence  and  imbecility  towards  that  which  is  good,  is  at 
a  great  distance)  he  convicts  us  both  of  impotence  and  of  un- 
righteousness. Moreover,  the  internal  law,  which  has  before 
been  said  to  be  inscribed  and  as  it  were  engraven  on  the  hearts 
of  all  men,  suggests  to  us  in  some  measure  the  same  things 
which  are  to  be  learned  from  the  two  tables.  For  our  con- 
science does  not  permit  us  to  sleep  in  perpetual  insensibility, 
but  is  an  internal  witness  and  monitor  of  the  duties  we  owe 
to  God,  shews  us  the  difference  between  good  and  evil,  and  so 


CHAP,  viii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  389 

accuses  us  when  we  deviate  from  our  duty.  But  man,  involved 
as  he  is  in  a  cloud  of  errors,  scarcely  obtains  from  this  law  of 
nature  the  smallest  idea  of  what  worship  is  accepted  by  God; 
but  is  certainly  at  an  immense  distance  from  a  right  under- 
standing of  it.  Besides,  he  is  so  elated  with  arrogance  and 
ambition,  and  so  blinded  by  self-love,  that  he  cannot  yet  take 
a  view  of  himself,  and  as  it  were  retire  within,  that  he  may 
learn  to  submit  and  humble  himself,  and  to  confess  his  misery. 
Since  it  was  necessary  therefore  both  for  our  dulness  and  ob- 
stinacy, the  Lord  gave  us  a  written  law:  to  declare  with 
greater  certainty  what  in  the  law  of  nature  was  too  obscure, 
and  by  arousing  our  indolence,  to  make  a  deeper  impression 
on  our  understanding  and  memory. 

II.  Now  it  is  easy  to  perceive,  what  we  are  to  learn  from 
the  law:  namely,  that  God,  as  he  is  our  Creator,  justly  sus- 
tains towards  us  the  character  of  a  Father  and  of  a  Lord;  and 
that  on  this  account  we  owe  to  him  glory  and  reverence,  love 
and  fear.  Moreover,  that  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  follow  every 
thing  to  which  the  violence  of  our  passions  may  incite  us;  but 
that  we  ought  to  be  attentive  to  his  will,  and  to  practise  no- 
thing but  what  is  pleasing  to  him.  In  the  next  place,  that 
righteousness  and  rectitude  are  agreeable,  but  iniquity  an 
abomination  to  him;  and  that  therefore,  unless  we  will  with 
impious  ingratitude  rebel  against  our  Maker,  we  must  neces- 
sarily spend  our  whole  lives  in  the  practice  of  righteousness. 
For  if  we  manifest  a  becoming  reverence  for  him,  only  when 
we  prefer  his  will  to  our  own;  it  follows  that  there  is  no  other 
legitimate  worship  of  him,  but  the  observance  of  righteous- 
ness, sanctity,  and  purity.  Nor  can  we  pretend  to  excuse  our- 
selves by  a  want  of  ability,  like  insolvent  debtors.  For  it  is 
improper  for  us  to  measure  the  glory  of  God  by  our  ability; 
for  whatever  may  be  our  characters,  he  ever  remains  like  him- 
self, the  friend  of  righteousness,  the  enemy  of  iniquity.  What- 
ever he  requires  of  us,  since  he  can  require  nothing  but  what 
is  right,  we  are  under  a  natural  obligation  to  obey;  but  our 
inability  is  our  own  fault.  For  if  we  are  bound  by  our  own 
passions,  which  are  under  the  government  of  sin,  so  that  we 
are  not  at  liberty  to  obey  our  father,  there  is  no  reason  why  we 


390  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  it. 

should  plead  this  necessity  in  our  defence,  the  criminality  of 
which  is  within  ourselves,  and  must  be  imputed  to  us. 

III.  When   we  have  made  such  a  proficiency   as  this  by 
means  of  the  instruction  of  the  law,  we  ought,  under  the  same 
teacher,  to  retire  within  ourselves;  from  which  we  may  learn 
two  things:    First,  by  comparing  our  life  with  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  law,  we  shall  find,  that  we  are  very  far  from  acting 
agreeably  to  the  will  of  God,   and  are  therefore  unworthy  to 
retain  a  place  among  his  creatures,  much  less  to  be  numbered 
among   his  children:     Secondly,    by  examining  our  strength, 
we  shall  see,  that  it  is  not  only  unequal  to  the  observance  of 
the  law,  but  a  mere  nullity.  The  necessary    consequence  of 
this  will  be  a  diffidence  in  our  own  strength,  and  an  anxiety 
and   trepidation  of  mind.  For  the  conscience  cannot  sustain 
the  load  of  iniquity,  without  an  immediate  discovery  of  the 
Divine  judgment.    And  the  Divine  judgment  cannot  be  per- 
ceived, without  inspiring  a  dread  of  death.     Compelled  also 
by  proofs  of  its  impotence,  it  cannot  avoid  falling  into  an  ab- 
solute   despair  of  its  own  strength.     Both   these  dispositions 
produce  humility  and  dejection.  The  result  of  all  this  is,  that 
the  man  terrified  with  the  apprehension  of  eternal  death,  which 
he  sees  justly  impending  over  him  for  his  unrighteousness,  be- 
takes himself  entirely  to  the  Divine  mercy,  as  to  the  only  port 
of  salvation:  and  perceiving  his  inability  to  fulfil  the  com- 
mands of  the  law,  and  feeling  nothing  but  despair  in  himself,  he 
implores  and  expects  assistance  from  another  quarter. 

IV.  But  not  contented  with  having  conciliated  a  reverence 
for  his  righteousness,  the  Lord  hath  also  subjoined  promises 
and  threatenings,  in  order  that  our  hearts  might  imbibe  a  love 
for  him,  and  at  the  same  time  a  hatred  to  iniquity.  For  since 
the  eyes  of  our  mind  are  too  dim  to  be  attracted  with  the  mere 
beauty  of  virtue,  our  most  merciful  Father  hath  been  graciously 
pleased  to  allure  us  to  the  love  and  worship  of  himself  by  the 
sweetness  of  his  rewards.  He  announces  therefore  that  he  has 
reserved  rewards  for  virtue,  and  that  the  person  who  obeys  his 
commandments    shall  not  labour  in  vain.  He    proclaims,    on 
the  contrary,  not  only  that  unrighteousness  is  execrable  in  his 
sight,  but  also  that  it  shall  not  escape  with  impunity;  but  that 


CHAP,  vin.]'     CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  391 

he  will  avenge  himself  on  all  the  despisers  of  his  majesty.  And 
to  urge  us  by  all  possible  motives,  he  promises  also  the  bless- 
ings  of  the   present   life,   as   well   as  eternal   felicity,  to  the 
obedience  of  those  who  keep  his  commandments,  the  trans- 
gressors of  which  he  threatens  not  only  with  present  calamities, 
but    with   the   torments  of  eternal    death.   For  that   promise, 
"  these  if  a  man  do,  he  shall  live  in  them,"  (,§•)  and  this  cor- 
respondent threatening,  "the  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die," (A) 
undoubtedly  relate  to  a  future  and  endless  immortality  or  death. 
Wherever  we  read  of  the  Divine  benevolence  or  wrath,  the 
former  comprehends  eternal  life,  the  latter  eternal  destruction. 
Now  of  present  blessings  and  curses,  the  law  contains  a  long 
catalogue.    The    penal    sanctions    display    the     consummate 
purity  of  God,  which  cannot  tolerate  iniquity;  while  the  pro- 
mises not  only  manifest  his  perfect  love  of  righteousness,  which 
he    cannot  defraud    of  its  reward,  but  likewise  illustrate  his 
wonderful  goodness.  For  since  we,  with  all  that  belongs  to  us, 
are  indebted  to  his  majesty,  whatever  he  requires  of  us,  he 
most  justly  demands  as  the  payment  of  a  debt;  but  the  pay- 
ment of  a  debt  is  not  entitled  to  remuneration.  Therefore  he 
recedes  from  the  strictness  of  his  claims,  when  he  proposes  a 
reward  to  our  obedience,  which  is  not  performed  spontaneously 
as  if  it  were  not  a  duty.  But  the  effect  of  those  promises  on 
us  has  partly  been  mentioned  already,  and  will  hereafter  more 
clearly  appear  in  its  proper  place.  Suffice  it  at  present,  if  we 
remember  and  consider  that  the  legal  promises  contain  no  mean 
recommendation    of  righteousness,    to  make  it  more  evident 
how  much  God  is  pleased  with  the  observance  of  it;  and  that 
the    penal    sanctions  are    annexed,  to  render  unrighteousness 
more    execrable,   lest  the    sinner,    amidst  the  fascinations  of 
sin,  should  forget  that  the  judgment  of  the  Legislator  awaits 
him. 

V.  Now  since  the  Lord,  when  about  to  deliver  a  rule  of 
perfect  righteousness,  referred  all  the  parts  of  it  to  his  own 
will,  this  shews  that  nothing  is  more  acceptable  to  him  than 
obedience.  This  is  worthy  of  the  most  diligent  observation, 
since  the  licentiousness  of  the  human  mind  is  so  inclined  to 

(g)  Lev.  xviii.  5.  (A)  Ezek.  xviii.  4. 


392  INSTITUTES  OF  THE      .       [BOOK  n. 

the  frequent  invention  of  various  services  in  order  to  merit 
his  favour.  For  this  irreligious  affectation  of  religion,  which 
is  a  principle  innate  in  the  human  mind,  has  betrayed  itself  in 
all  ages,  and  betrays  itself  even  in  the  present  day;  for  men 
always  take  a  pleasure  in  contriving  some  way  of  attaining 
righteousness,  which  is  not  agreeable  to  the  Divine  word. 
Hence,  among  those  which  are  commonly  esteemed  good 
works,  the  precepts  of  the  law  hold  a  very  contracted  station, 
the  numberless  multitude  of  human  inventions  occupying 
almpst  the  whole  space.  But  what  was  the  design  of  Moses, 
unless  it  was  to  repress  such  an  unwarrantable  licence,  when, 
after  the  promulgation  of  the  law,  he  addressed  the  people  in 
the  following  manner?  "  Observe  and  hear  all  these  words 
which  I  command  thee,  that  it  may  go  well  with  thee,  and 
with  thy  children  after  thee  for  ever,  when  thou  doest  that 
which  is  good  and  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  thy  God. 
What  thing  soever  I  command  you,  observe  to  do  it:  thou 
shalt  not  add  thereto,  nor  diminish  from  it."  (z)  And  before, 
when  he  had  declared  that  this  was  their  wisdom  and  their 
understanding  in  the  sight  of  other  nations,  that  they  had  re- 
ceived statutes  and  judgments  and  ceremonies  from  the  Lord, 
he  had  added,  "  Take  heed  to  thyself:  and  keep  thy  soul  dili- 
gently, lest  thou  forget  the  things  which  thine  eyes  have  seen, 
and  lest  they  depart  from  thy  heart  all  the  days  of  thy  life."  (/£) 
Foreseeing  that  the  Israelites  would  not  rest,  but,  even  after 
the  reception  of  the  law,  would  labour  to  produce  new  species 
of  righteousness  foreign  from  what  the  law  requires,  unless 
they  should  be  rigorously  restrained,  God  pronounces  that 
his  word  comprehends  the  perfection  of  righteousness;  and  yet, 
though  this  ought  most  effectually  to  have  prevented  them, 
they  were  guilty  of  that  very  presumption  which  was  so  ex- 
pressly forbidden.  But  what  is  this  to  us?  We  are  certainly 
bound  by  the  same  declaration;  for  the  claims  of  the  Lord 
on  behalf  of  his  law,  that  it  contains  the  doctrine  of  perfect 
righteousness,  beyond  all  doubt  remain  perpetually  the  same; 
yet  not  contented  with  it,  we  are  wonderfully  laborious  in  in- 
venting and  performing  other  good  works,  one  after  another. 

(»)  Deut.  xii.  28,  32  (*)  Deut.  ir.  5,  6,  9- 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  393 

The  best  remedy  for  this  fault  will  be  a  constant  attention  to 
this  reflection;  that  the  law  was  given  to  us  from  heaven  to 
teach  us  a  perfect  righteousness;  that  in  it  no  righteousness  is 
taught,  but  that  which  is  conformable  to  the  decrees  of  the 
Divine  will;  that  it  is  therefore  vain  to  attempt  new  species  of 
works  in  order  to  merit  the  favour  of  God,  whose  legitimate 
worship  consists  solely  in  obedience,  but  that  any  pursuit  of 
good  works  deviating  from  the  law  of  God  is  an  intolerable 
profanation  of  the  Divine  and  real  righteousness.  There  is 
much  truth  also  in  the  observation  of  Augustine,  who  calls  obe- 
dience to  God  sometimes  the  parent  and  guardian,  and  some- 
times the  origin  of  all  virtues. 

VI.  But  when  we  have  given  an  exposition  of  the  Divine 
law,  we  shall  then  more  suitably  and  profitably  confirm  what 
has  been  already  advanced  concerning  its  office  and  use.  Be- 
fore we  enter  however  on  the  discussion  of  each  article  sepa- 
rately, it  will  be  useful  to  premise  some  things  which  may 
contribute  to  a  general  knowledge  of  it.  First,  let  it  be  under- 
stood, that  the  law  inculcates  a  conformity  of  life,  not  only  to 
external  probity,  but  also  to  internal  and  spiritual  righteous- 
ness. Now  though  none  can  deny  this,  yet  very  few  persons 
pay  proper  attention  to  it.  This  arises  from  their  not  con- 
sidering the  Legislator,  by  whose  nature  we  ought  to  estimate 
also  the  nature  of  the  law.  If  a  king  prohibit,  by  an  edict, 
adultery,  murder,  or  theft,  no  man,  I  confess,  will  be  liable 
to  the  penalty  of  such  a  law,  who  has  only  conceived  in  his 
mind  a  desire  to  commit  adultery,  murder,  or  theft,  but  has 
not  perpetrated  either  of  them.  Because  the  superintendence 
of  a  mortal  legislator  extends  only  to  the  external  conduct, 
and  his  prohibitions  are  not  violated  unless  the  crimes  be 
actually  committed.  But  God,  whose  eye  nothing  escapes,  and 
who  esteems  not  so  much  the  external  appearance  as  the  purity 
of  the  heart,  in  the  prohibition  of  adultery,  murder,  and  theft, 
comprises  a  prohibition  of  lust,  wrath,  hatred,  coveting  what 
belongs  to  another,  fraud,  and  every  similar  vice.  For,  being 
a  spiritual  Legislator,  he  addresses  himself  to  the  soul  as  much 
as  to  the  body.  Now  the  murder  of  the  soul  is  wrath  and 
hatred;  the  theft  of  the  soul  is  evil  concupiscence  and  avarice; 
the  adultery  of  the  soul  is  lust.  But  it  will  be  said,  that  human 

VOL.  I.  3D 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

laws  also  relate  to  designs  and  intentions,  and  not  to  fortuitous 
rvrnts.  This  I  grant;  but  they  relate  to  such  designs  and 
intentions  as  have  been  manifested  in  outward  actions.  They 
examine  and  consider  with  what  intention  every  act  has  been 
performed;  but  do  not  scrutinize  the  secret  thoughts.  Human 
laws  therefore  are  satisfied,  when  a  man  abstains  from  external 
transgression.  But  on  the  contrary,  the  Divine  law  being 
i;iven  to  our  minds,  the  proper  regulation  of  them  is  the  prin- 
cipal requisite  to  a  righteous  observance  of  it.  But  men  in 
general,  even  while  they  resolutely  dissemble  their  contempt 
of  the  law,  dispose  their  eyes,  their  feet,  their  hands,  and  all 
the  parts  of  their  body,  to  some  kind  of  observance  of  it;  while 
at  the  same  time  their  hearts  are  entirely  alienated  from  all 
obedience  to  it,  and  they  suppose  that  they  have  discharged 
their  duty,  if  they  have  concealed  from  man  what  they  practise 
in  the  sight  of  God.  They  hear  the  commands,  Thou  shah 
not  kill,  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery,  Thou  shalt  not  steal. 
They  draw  not  the  sword  to  commit  murder;  they  never 
associate  with  harlots;  they  lay  no  violent  hands  on  the  pro- 
perty of  others.  All  these  things  thus  far  are  well;  but  in  their 
whole  souls  they  breathe  after  murders,  they  kindle  into  lust, 
they  look  with  dishonest  eyes  on  the  property  of  others,  and 
in  their  cupidity  they  devour  it.  Now  then  they  are  destitute 
o.f  the  principal  requisite  of  the  law.  Whence  arises  such 
gross  stupidity,  but  from  discarding  the  legislator,  and  accom- 
modating a  righteousness  to  our  own  inclination?  These 
persons  Paul  strongly  opposes,  when  he  affirms  that  "  the  law 
is  spiritual:"  (/)  signifying  that  it  requires  not  only  the  ob^li- 
cnce  of  the  soul,  the  understanding,  and  the  will,  but  even  an 
ungelic  purity,  which  being  cleansed  from  all  the  pollution  of 
the  flesh,  may  savour  entirely  of  the  Spirit. 

VII.  When  we  say  that  this  is  the  sense  of  the  law,  we 
are  not  introducing  a  novel  interpretation  of  our  own,  but 
following  Christ,  who  is  the  best  interpreter  of  it.  For  the 
peop«e  having  imbibed  from  the  Pharisees  the  corrupt  opinion, 
that  he,  who  has  perpetrated  no  external  act  of  disobedience 
to  the  law,  is  an  observer  of  the  law;  he  confutes  this  very 

(7)  Rom.  vii.  14. 


CHAP,  vin.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  3.95 

dangerous  error,  and  pronounces  an  unchaste  look  at  a  woman 
to  be  adultery:  he  declares  them  to  be  murderers,  who  hate  a 
brother:  he  makes  them  u  in  danger  of  the  judgment,"  who 
have  only  conceived  resentment  in  their  hearts;  them  "  in 
danger  of  the  council,"  who  in  murmuring  or  quarrelling  have 
discovered  any  sign  of  an  angry  mind;  and  them  "  in  danger 
of  hell  fire,"  who  with  opprobrious  and  slanderous  language 
have  broken  forth  into  open  rage,  (m)  Persons  who  have 
not  perceived  these  things,  have  pretended  that  Christ  was 
another  Moses,  the  giver  of  an  evangelical  law,  which  sup- 
plied the  deficiencies  of  the  law  of  Moses.  Whence  that 
common  maxim,  concerning  the  perfection  of  the  evangelical 
law,  that  it  is  far  superior  to  the  old  law;  a  maxim  in  many 
respects  very  pernicious.  For  when  we  introduce  a  summary 
of  the  commandments,  it  will  appear  from  Moses  himself  what 
an  indignity  this  fixes  on  the  Divine  law.  It  certainly  in- 
sinuates that  all  the  sanctity  of  the  fathers  under  the  Old 
Testament,  was  not  very  remote  from  hypocrisy,  and  draws 
us  aside  from  that  one  perpetual  rule  of  righteousness.  But 
there  is  not  the  least  difficulty  in  the  confutation  of  this  error; 
for  they  have  supposed  that  Christ  made  additions  to  the  law, 
whereas  he  only  restored  it  to  its  genuine  purity,  by  clearing  it 
from  the  obscurities  and  blemishes  which  it  had  contracted  from 
the  falsehoods  and  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees. 

VIII.  It  must  be  observed,  in  the  second  place,  that  the 
commands  and  prohibitions  always  imply  more  than  the  words 
express:  but  this  must  be  so  restricted,  that  we  may  not  make 
it  a  Lesbian  rule,  by  the  assistance  of  which  the  Scripture 
may  be  licentiously  perverted,  and  any  sense  be  extorted  at 
pleasure  from  any  passage.  For  some  people,  by  this  immo- 
derate and  excursive  liberty,  cause  one  person  to  despise  the 
authority  of  the  law,  and  another  to  despair  of  understanding- 
it.  Therefore,  if  it  be  possible,  we  must  find  some  way  that 
may  lead  us  by  a  straight  and  steady  course  to  the  will  of 
God.  We  must  inquire,  I  say,  how  far  our  interpretation 
ought  to  exceed  the  limits  of  the  expressions;  that  it  may 
evidently  appear,  not  to  be  an  appendix  of  human  glosses 

(m)  Matt.  v.  28,  22. 


396  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

annexed  to  the  Divine  law,  but  a  faithful  explanation  of  the 
pure  and  genuine  sense  of  the  legislator.  Indeed,  in  all  the 
commandments,  the  figure  synecdoche,  by  which  a  part  is  ex- 
pressed instead  of  the  whole,  is  so  conspicuous,  that  he  may 
justly  be  the  object  of  ridicule,  who  would  restrict  the  sense 
of  the  law  within  the  narrow  limits  of  the  words.  It  is  plain 
then  that  a  sober  exposition  of  the  law  goes  beyond  the  words 
of  it;  but  how  far,  remains  doubtful,  unless  some  rule  be  laid 
down.  The  best  rule,  then,  I  conceive  will  be,  that  the  expo- 
sition be  directed  to  the  design  of  the  precept;  that  in  regard 
to  every  precept  it  should  be  considered  for  what  end  it  was 
given.  For  example,  every  precept  is  either  imperative  or 
prohibitory.  The  true  meaning  of  both  these  kinds  of  pre- 
cepts will  immediately  occur  to  us,  if  we  consider  the  design 
or  the  end  of  them.  As  the  end  of  the  fifth  commandment  is, 
that  honour  may  be  given  to  them  to  whom  God  assigns  it. 
The  substance  of  this  precept  then  is,  that  it  is  right,  and 
pleasing  to  God,  that  we  should  honour  those  on  whom  he 
hath  conferred  any  excellence,  and  that  contemptuous  and 
contumacious  conduct  towards  them  is  an  abomination  to  him. 
The  design  of  the  first  commandment  is,  that  God  alone  may 
be  worshipped.  The  substance  of  this  precept  then  will  be, 
that  true  piety,  that  is,  the  worship  of  his  majesty,  is  pleas- 
ing to  God,  and  that  he  abominates  impiety.  Thus  in  every 
commandment  we  should  first  examine  the  subject  of  it;  in  the 
next  place  we  should  inquire  the  end  of  it,  till  we  discover 
what  the  legislator  really  declares  in  it  to  be  either  pleasing  or 
displeasing  to  him.  Lastly,  we  must  draw  an  argument  from 
this  commandment  to  the  opposite  of  it,  in  this  manner:  If 
this  please  God,  the  contrary  must  displease  him:  if  this  dis- 
please him,  the  contrary  must  please  him;  if  he  enjoin  this, 
he  forbids  the  contrary;  if  he  forbid  this,  he  enjoins  the 
contrary. 

IX.  What  we  now  rather  obscurely  hint  at,  will  be  fully  and 
practically  elucidated  in  our  exposition  of  the  commandments. 
Wherefore  it  is  sufficient  to  have  suggested  it;  only  the  last 
position,  which  otherwise  might  not  be  understood,  or,  if  under- 
stood, might  seem  unreasonable,  requires  to  be  briefly  established 
by  suitable  proof.  It  needs  no  proof,  that  an  injunction  of  any 


CHAP,  viii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  397 

thing  good  is  a  prohibition  of  the  opposite  evil:  for  every  man 
will  concede  it.  And  common  sense  will  easily  admit,  that  a  pro- 
hibition of  crimes  is  a  command  to  practise  the  contrary  duties. 
It  is  commonly  considered  as  a  commendation  of  virtues,  when 
censure  is  passed  on  the  opposite  vices.  But  we  require  some- 
what more  than  is  commonly  intended  by  those  forms  of  ex- 
pression. For  men  generally  understand  the  virtue  which  is 
opposite  to  any  vice  to  be  an  abstinence  from  that  vice:  but 
we  affirm  that  it  goes  farther,  even  to  the  actual  performance 
of  the  opposite  duty.  Therefore,  in  this  precept,  "Thou  shall 
not  kill,"  the  common  sense  of  mankind  will  perceive  nothing 
more  than  that  we  ought  to  abstain  from  all  acts  of  injury  to 
others,  and  from  all  desire  to  commit  any  such  acts.  I  main- 
tain that  it  also  implies,  that  we  should  do  every  thing  that  we 
possibly  can  towards  the  preservation  of  the  life  of  our  neigh- 
bour. And  not  to  speak  without  reason,  I  prove  it  in  the 
following  manner:  God  forbids  us  to  injure  the  safety  of  our 
brother,  because  he  wishes  his  life  to  be  dear  and  precious  to 
us:  he  therefore  at  the  same  time  requires  of  us  all  those  offices 
of  love  which  may  contribute  to  the  preservation  of  it.  Thus 
we  perceive,  that  the  end  of  the  precept  will  always  discover  to 
us  whatever  it  enjoins  or  forbids  us  to  do. 

X»  Many  reasons  are  frequently  given,  why  God  hath, 
as  it  were  in  incomplete  precepts^  rather  partially  intimated 
his  will  than  positively  expressed  it;  but  the  reason  which 
affords  me  more  satisfaction  than  all  others  is  the  following.  Be- 
cause the  flesh  always  endeavours  to  extenuate,  and  by  specious 
pretexts  to  conceal  the  turpitude  of  sin,  unless  it  be  exceed- 
ingly palpable,  he  hath  proposed  by  way  of  example  in  every 
kind  of  transgression  that  which  is  most  atrocious  and  detestable, 
and  the  mention  of  which  inspires  us  with  horror,  in  order 
that  our  minds  might  be  impressed  with  the  greater  detestation 
of  every  sin.  This  often  deceives  us  in  forming  opinion  of 
vices;  if  they  be  private,  we  extenuate  them.  The  Lord 
destroys  these  subterfuges,  when  he  accustoms  us  to  refer  the 
whole  multitude  of  vices  to  these  general  heads,  which  best 
represent  the  abominable  nature  of  every  species  of  transgres- 
sions. For  example;  anger  and  hatred  are  not  supposed  to 
be  such  execrable  crimes  when  thev  are  mentioned  under  their 


398  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  H, 

own  proper  appellations;  but  when  they  are  forbidden  to  us 
under  the  name  of  murder,  we  have  a  clearer  perception  how 
abominable  they  are  in  the  view  of  God,  by  whose  word  they 
are  classed  under  such  a  flagitious  and  horrible  species  of 
crimes:  and  being  influenced  by  his  judgment,  we  accustom 
ourselves  more  seriously  to  consider  the  atrociousness  of  those 
offences  which  we  previously  accounted  trivial. 

XI.  In  the  third  place,  let  it  be  considered,  what  is  intended 
by  the  division  of  the  Divine  law  into  two  tables;  the  frequent 
and  solemn  mention  of  which  all  wise  men  will  judge  not  to  be 
without  some  particular "  design.  And  we  have  a  reason  at 
hand,  which  removes  all  ambiguity  on  this  subject.  For  God 
has  thus  divided  his  law  into  two  parts,  which  comprise  the 
perfection  of  righteousness,  that  we  might  assign  the  first  part 
to  the  duties  o*  religion,  which  peculiarly  belong  to  the  wor- 
ship of  his  majesty,  and  the  second  to  those  duties  of  charity, 
which  respect  men.  The  first  foundation  of  righteousness  is 
certainly  the  worship  of  God;  and  if  this  be  destroyed,  all  the 
other  branches  of  righteousness,  like  the  parts  of  a  disjointed 
and  falling  edifice,  are  torn  asunder  and  scattered.  For  what 
kind  of  righteousness  will  you  pretend  to,  because  you  refrain 
from  harassing  men  by  acts  of  theft  and  rapine,  if  at  the  same 
time  you  atrociously  and  sacrilegiously  defraud  the  majesty  of 
God  of  the  glory  which  is  due  to  him? — because  you  do  not 
pollute  your  body  with  fornication,  if  you  blasphemously  pro- 
fane the  sacred  name  of  God? — because  you  murder  no-  man, 
if  you  strive  to  destroy  and  extinguish  all  memory  of  God? 
It  is  in  vain  therefore  to  boast  of  righteousness  without  reli- 
gion; as  well  might  the  trunk  of  a  body  be  exhibited  as  a 
beautiful  object,  after  the  head  has  been  cutoff.  Nor  is  religion 
only  the  head  of  righteousness,  but  the  very  soul  of  it,  consti- 
tuting all  its  life  and  vigour;  for  without  the  fear  of  God,  men 
preserve  no  equity  and  love  among  each  other.  We  therefore 
call  the  worship  of  God  the  principle  and  foundation  of  right- 
eousness, because  if  that  be  wanting,  whatever  equity,  conti- 
nence, and  temperance  men  may  practise  among  themselves, 
it  is  all  vain  and  frivolous  in  the  sight  of  God.  We  assert  also 
that  it  is  the  source  and  soul  of  righteousness;  because  men 
are  taught  by  it  to  live  temperatelv  and  justly  with  each  other, 


CHAP,  vin.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  399 

if  they  venerate  God  as  the  Judge  of  right  and  wrong.  In  the 
first  table  therefore  he  instructs  us  in  piety  and  the  proper 
duties  of  religion,  in  which  his  majesty  is  to  be  worshipped; 
in  the  second  he  prescribes  the  duties  which  the  fear  of  his 
name  should  excite  us  to  practise  in  society.  For  this  reason 
our  Lord,  as  the  evangelists  inform  us,  (n)  summarily  com- 
prised the  whole  law  in  two  principal  points;  that  we  love 
God  with  all  our  heart,  with  all  our,,, soul,  and  with  all  our 
strength;  and  that  we  love  our  neighbour  as  ourselves.  Of 
the  two  parts  in  which  he  comprehends  the  whole  law,  we 
see  how  he  directs  one  towards  God,  and  assigns  the  other 
to  men. 

XII.  But,  although  the  whole  law  is  contained  in  these  two 
principal  points,  yet  our  God,  in  order  to  remove  every  pre- 
text of  excuse,  hath  been  pleased  in  the  ten  commandments 
more  diffusely  and  explicitly  to  declare,  as  well  those  things 
which  relate  to  our  honour,  love,  and  fear  of  him,  as  those 
which  pertain  to  that  charity,  which  he  commands  us  for  his 
sake  to  exercise  towards  men.  Nor  is  it  a  useless  study  to 
examine  into  the  division  of  the  commandments;  provided 
you  remember  it  is  a  subject  of  such  a  nature,  that  every 
man  ought  to  be  at  liberty  to  judge  of  it,  and  that  we  ought 
not  contentiously  to  oppose  any  who  may  differ  from  us  re- 
specting it.  But  we  are  under  a  necessity  of  touching  on  this 
topic,  lest  the  reader  should  despise  or  wonder  at  the  division 
that  we  shall  adopt,  as  a  novel  invention.  That  the  law  is 
divided  into  ten  precepts,  is  beyond  all  controversy,  being  fre- 
quently established  by  the  authority  of  God  himself.  The 
question  therefore  is  not  concerning  the  number  of  the  pre- 
cepts, but  concerning  the  manner  of  dividing  them.  Those 
who  divide  them,  so  as  to  assign  three  precepts  to  the  first 
table,  and  leave  the  remaining  seven  to  the  second,  expunge 
from  the  number  the  precept  concerning  images,  or  at  least 
conceal  it  under  the  first:  whereas  it  is  undoubtedly  delivered 
by  the  Lord  as  a  distinct  commandment.  But  the  tenth, 
against  coveting  the  property  of  our  neighbour,  they  incon- 
siderately divide  into  two.  It  may  also  be  remarked,  that 

(n)  Matt.  xxii.  37—40.    Luke  x.  27. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

such  a  method  of  division  was  unknown  in  purer  ages.  Others 
reckon  with  us  four  articles  in  the  first  table;  but  the  first 
commandment  they  consider  as  a  simple  promise  without  a 
precept.  Now  I  understand  the  "ten  words"  mentioned  by 
Moses  to  be  ten  precepts,  and  I  think  I  see  that  number  disposed 
in  the  most  beautiful  order.  And  therefore,  unless  I  am  con- 
vinced by  clear  argument,  leaving  them  in  possession  of  their 
opinion,  I  shall  follow  what  appears  to  me  to  be  preferable; 
that  is,  that  what  they  make  the  first  precept  is  a  preface  to  the 
whole  law;  that  it  is  followed  by  the  precepts,  four  belonging 
to  the  first  table  and  six  to  the  second,  in  the  order  in  which 
they  will  now  be  recited.  Origen  has  mentioned  this  division 
as  if  it  were  universally  received  in  his  time  without  am 
controversy.  Augustine  also  coincides  with  us;  for  in  enu- 
merating them  to  Boniface,  he  observes  this  order:  That  God 
alone  be  religiously  worshipped;  that  no  adoration  be  paid  to 
an  idol;  that  the  name  of  the  Lord  be  not  taken  in  vain.  He 
had  before  spoken  separately  of  the  shadowy  precept  of  the 
sabbath.  It  is  true,  that  in  another  passage  he  expresses  his 
approbation  of  the  former  division,  but  for  a  most  trivial  rea- 
son; namely,  that  if  the  first  table  be  digested  into  three  pre- 
cepts, the  trinal  number  will  be  a  more  conspicuous  exhibition 
of  the  mystery  of  the  trinity.  In  the  same  place,  however,  he 
does  not  conceal  that  in  other  respects  he  prefers  our  division. 
Beside  these  writers,  the  author  of  the  unfinished  treatise  on 
Matthew  is  of  the  same  opinion  with  us.  Josephus,  doubtless 
according  to  the  common  opinion  of  his  time,  assigns  five 
precepts  to  each  table.  This  is  repugnant  to  reason,  because 
it  confounds  the  distinction  between  religion  and  charity:  and 
is  also  refuted  by  the  authority  of  our  Lord,  who  in  Matthew 
places  the  precept  concerning  honour  to  parents  in  the  second 
table.  Now  let  us  hear  God  himself  speaking  in  his  own 
words. 

THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 

I  AM  THE  LORD  THY  GoD,  WHICH  HAVE  BROUGHT  THEE  OUT 
OF  THE  LAND  OF  EGYPT,  OUT  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  BONDAGE. 
THOU  SHALT  HAVE  NO  OTHER  GODS  BEFORE  ME. 

XIII.  Whether  you  make  the  first  sentence  a  part  of  the 


CHAP,  vin.j      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  401 

first  commandment,  or  read  it  separately,  is  a  matter  of  indiffer- 
ence to  me,  provided  you  allow  it  to  be  a  preface  to  the  whole 
law.  The  first  object  of  attention  in  making  laws  is  to  guard 
against  their  being  abrogated  by  contempt.  Therefore  God 
in  the  first  place  provides,  that  the  majesty  of  the  law,  which  he 
is  about  to  deliver,  may  never  fall  into  contempt:  and  to  sanc- 
tion it  he  uses  a  threefold  argument.  He  asserts  his  authority 
and  right  of  giving  commands,  and  thereby  lays  his  chosen 
people  under  a  necessity  of  obeying  them.  He  exhibits  a  promise 
of  grace,  to  allure  them  by  its  charms  to  the  pursuit  of  holiness. 
He  reminds  the  Israelites  of  his  favour,  to  convict  them  of  in- 
gratitude if  they  do  not  conduct  themselves  in  a  manner  cor- 
respondent to  his  goodness.  The  name  LORD,  or  JEHOVAH, 
designates  his  authority  and  legitimate  dominion.  For  if  all 
things  be  of  him,  and  if  in  him  all  things  consist,  it  is  reason- 
able that  all  things  be  referred 'to  him;  agreeably  to  the  ob- 
servation of  Paul.  (0)  Therefore  by  this  word  alone  we  are 
brought  into  complete  subjection  to  the  power  of  the  Divine 
majesty,  for  it  would  be  monstrous  for  us  to  desire  to  rje^ 
move  ourselves  from  his  jurisdiction,  out  of  whom  we  cannot 
exist. 

XIV.  After  having  shewn  that  he  hath  a  right  to  com- 
mand, and  that  obedience  is  his  just  due;  that  he  may  not 
appear^to  constrain  us  by  necessity  alone,  he  sweetly  allures 
us  by  pronouncing  himself  the  God  of  the  Church.  For  the 
expression  implies  the  mutual  relation,  which  is  contained  in 
that  promise,  "  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my 
people."  (/>)  Whence  Christ  proves  the  immortality  of  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob,  from  the  declaration  of  the  Lord,  that 
he  is  their  God.  (y)  Wherefore  it  is  the  same  as  if  he  had 
said,  I  have  chosen  you  as  my  people,  not  only  to  bless  you 
in  the  present  life,  but  to  bestow  upon  you  abundant  felicity 
in  the  life  to  come.  The  design  of  this  favour  is  remarked 
in  various  places  in  the  law;  for  when  the  Lord  in  mercy  con- 
descends to  number  us  among  the  society  of  his  people,  "  He 
chooseth  us,"  says  Moses,  "  to  be  a  peculiar  people  unto  him- 
self, a  holy  people,  to  keep  his  commandments."  (r)  Hence 

(o)  Rom.  xi.  36.  (/>)  Jer.  xxxi.  33. 

(7)  Matt.  JO.ii.  32.  (r)  Deut.  vii-  6.  xiv.  2.  xxvi.  18. 

VOL.  I.  3  E 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  OOOK  n. 

that  exhortation,  "  Ye  shall  be  holy,  for  I  am  holy."  (s)  Now 
from  these  two  considerations  is  derived  the  remonstrance  of 
the  Lord  by  the  prophet;  "  A  son  honoureth  his  father,  and 
a  servant  his  master:  if  then  I  be  a  father,  where  is  mine  ho- 
nour? and  if  I  be  a  master,  where  is  my  fear?"  (t) 

XV.  Next  follows  a  recital  of  his  kindness,  which  ought 
to  produce  a  most  powerful  effect  upon  our  minds,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  detestable  guilt  of  ingratitude,  even  among  men. 
He  reminded  the  Israelites  indeed  of  a  favour  which  they  had 
recently  experienced,  but  which  on  account  of  its  magnitude 
and  concomitant  miracles  being  worthy  of  everlasting  remem- 
brance, might  also  have  an  influence  on  succeeding  genera- 
tions. Besides,  it  was  particularly  suitable  to  the  present  occa- 
sion, when  the  law  was  about  to  be  published;  for  the  Lord 
suggests  that  they  were  liberated  from  a  miserable  slavery  in 
order  that  they  might  serve  the  author  of  their  liberty  with  a 
promptitude  of  reverence  and  obedience.  To  retain  us  in  the 
true  and  exclusive  worship  of  himself,  he  generally  distin- 
guishes himself  by  certain  epithets,  by  which  he  discriminates 
his  sacred  name  from  all  idols  and  fictitious  deities.  For,  as  I 
have  before  observed,  such  is  our  proneness  to  vanity  and  pre- 
sumption, that  as  soon  as  God  is  mentioned,  our  mind  is  un- 
able to  guard  itself  from  falling  into  some  vain  imagination. 
Therefore  when  God  intends  to  apply  a  remedy  to  this  evil,  he 
adorns  his  majesty  with  certain  titles,  and  thus  circumscribes 
us  with  barriers,  that  we  may  not  run  into  various  follies,  and 
presumptuously  invent  to  ourselves  some  new  deity,  discard- 
ing the  living  God,  and  setting  up  an  idol  in  his  stead.  For 
this  reason  the  prophets,  whenever  they  intend  a  proper  de- 
signation of  him,  invest  him,  and  as  it  were  surround  him, 
with  those  characters  under  which  he  had  manifested  himself  to 
the  people  of  Israel.  Yet,  when  he  is  called  "  the  God  of  Abra- 
ham," or  "  the  God  of  Israel,"  when  he  is  said  to  reside  "  be- 
tween the  cherubim"  "in  the  temple,"  "at  Jerusalem,"  (v)  these 
and  similar  forms  of  expression  do  not  confine  him  to  one  place, 
or  to  one  nation:  they  are  only  used,  to  fix  the  thoughts  of 

(.s)  Lev.  xi.  44.  (/)  Mai.  i.  6. 

(v)  Exod.  iii.  6.    Amos  i.  2.   Hab.  ii.  20.   Psalm  Ixxx.  1.  xcix.  1.  Isa'rah 
xxxvii.  16. 


CHAP,  viii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  403 

the  pious  on  that  God,  who  in  the  covenant,  which  he  hath 
made  with  Israel,  hath  given  such  a  representation  of  himself, 
that  it  is  not  proper  to  deviate  in  the  smallest  instance  from 
such  a  model.  Nevertheless  let  it  be  concluded,  that  the  de- 
liverance of  the  Jews  is  mentioned  to  induce  them  to  devote 
themselves  with  more  alacrity  to  the  service  of  God,  who 
justly  claims  a  right  to  their  obedience.  But,  that  we  may  not 
suppose  this  to  have  no  relation  to  us,  it  behoves  us  to  con- 
sider, that  the  servitude  of  Israel  in  Egypt  was  a  type  of  the 
spiritual  captivity,  in  which  we  are  all  detained,  till  our  celes- 
tial deliverer  extricates  us  by  the  power  of  his  arm,  and  intro- 
duces us  into  the  kingdom  of  liberty.  As  formerly  therefore 
when  he  designed  to  restore  the  dispersed  Israelites  to  the 
worship  of  his  name,  he  rescued  them  from  the  intolerable 
tyranny  of  Pharaoh  by  which  they  were  oppressed;  so  now  he 
delivers  all  those,  whose  God  he  declares  himself  to  be,  from 
the  fatal  dominion  of  Satan  which  was  represented  by  that 
corporeal  captivity.  Wherefore  there  is  no  one,  whose  mind 
ought  not  to  be  excited  to  listen  to  the  law,  which  he  is  in- 
formed came  from  the  King  of  kings;  from  whom  as  all  crea- 
tures derive  their  origin,  so  it  is  reasonable  that  they  should 
regard  him  as  their  end  in  all  things.  Every  man,  I  say, 
ought  to  welcome  the  legislator;  to  observe  whose  com- 
mands he  is  taught  that  he  is  particularly  chosen;  from  whose 
benignity  he  expects  an  abundance  of  temporal  blessings  and  a 
life  of  immortality  and  glory;  by  whose  wonderful  power  and 
mercy  he  knows  himself  to  be  delivered  from  the  jaws  of 
death.  • 

XVI.  Having  firmly  established  the  authority  of  his  law, 
he  publishes  the  first  commandment,  "  That  we  should  have  no 
other  gods  before  him."  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  God 
chooses  to  have  the  sole  pre-eminence,  and  to  enjoy  undiminish- 
ed  his  authority  among  his  people.  To  produce  this  end,  he  en- 
joins us  to  keep  at  a  distance  from  all  impiety  and  superstition, 
by  which  we  should  either  diminish  or  obscure  the  glory  of 
his  name;  and  for  the  same  reason  he  directs  us  to  worship 
and  adore  him  in  the  exercise  of  true  piety.  The  simplicity  of 
the  language  almost  expresses  this;  for  we  cannot  "have" 
God,  without  at  the  same  time  comprising  all  that  belongs  to 


404  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

him.  Therefore  when  he  forbids  us  to  "have"  any  other 
gods,  he  implies,  that  we  must  not  transfer  to  another  what 
belongs  to  him.  For  although  the  duties  we  owe  to  God  are 
innumerable,  yet  they  may  not  improperly  be  classed  under 
four  general  heads:  Adoration,  a  necessary  branch  of  which 
is  the  spiritual  obedience  of  the  conscience;  Trust;  Invoca- 
tion; and  Thanksgiving.  By  adoration  I  mean  the  reverence 
and  worship  which  he  receives  from  every  one  of  us,  who  has 
submitted  to  his  majesty.  Wherefore  it  is  not  without  reason 
that  I  make  it  partly  to  consist  in  a  subjection  of  our  con- 
sciences to  his  law;  for  it  is  a  spiritual  homage  which  is  ren- 
dered to  him,  as  to  a  sovereign  King  possessed  of  all  power  over 
our  souls.  Trust  is  a  secure  dependence  on  him,  arising  from 
a  knowledge  of  his  perfections;  when  ascribing  to  him  all 
wisdom,  righteousness,  power,  truth,  and  goodness,  we  esteem 
ourselves  happy  only  in  communications  from  him.  Invoca- 
tion is  the  application  of  our  minds,  under  every  pressure  of 
necessity,  resorting  to  his  fidelity,  faithfulness,  and  assistance, 
as  its  only  defence.  Thanksgiving  is  gratitude,  which  ascribes 
to  him  the  praise  of  all  blessings.  As  the  Lord  permits  no 
portion  of  these  duties  to  be  transferred  to  another,  so  he  com- 
mands them  to  be  wholly  given  to  himself.  Nor  will  it  be 
sufficient  for  you  to  refrain  from  worshipping  any  other  god, 
unless  you  also  refrain  from  imitating  certain  nefarious 
despisers,  who  take  the  compendious  method  of  treating  all 
religions  with  contempt.  But  the  observance  of  this  precept 
must  be  preceded  by  true  religion,  leading  our  minds  to  the 
living  God;  that  being  endued  with^the  knowledge  of  him 
they  may  aspire  to  contemplate,  fear,  and  worship  his  majesty, 
to  receive  his  communication  of  blessings,  to  request  his  aid 
upon  all  occasions,  to  acknowledge  and  celebrate  the  magnifi- 
cence of  his  works,  as  the  sole  end  in  all  the  actions  of  our 
lives.  We  must  also  beware  of  corrupt  superstition,  by  which 
those  whose  minds  are  diverted  from  the  true  God,  are  car- 
ried about  after  various  deities.  Therefore,  if  we  be  contented 
with  one  God,  let  us  remember  what  has  before  been  observed, 
that  all  fictitious  deities  must  be  driven  far  away,  and  that  we 
must  not  divide  that  worship  which  he  claims  exclusively  to 
himself.  For  it  is  criminal  to  detract  even  the  smallest  portion 


CHAP,  viii.]     CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  405 

from  his  glory;  he  must  be  left  in  possession  of  all  that  belongs 
to  him.  The  following  clause  "  before  me"  aggravates  the 
atrociousness  of  the  offence;  for  God  is  provoked  to  jealousy 
whenever  we  substitute  the  figments  of  our  own  minds  instead 
of  him:  just  as  an  immodest  woman,  by  openly  introducing 
an  adulterer  into  the  presence  of  her  husband,  would  inflame 
his  mind  with  the  greater  resentment.  When  God  therefore, 
by  the  presence  of  his  power  and  grace,  gave  a  proof  of  his 
regard  to  the  people  whom  he  had  chosen;  in  order  the  more 
forcibly  to  deter  them  from  the  crime  of  rebellion  against  him, 
he  warns  them  of  the  impossibility  of  introducing  new  deities 
without  his  being  a  witness  and  spectator  of  the  sacrilege. 
For  this  presumption  rises  to  the  highest  degree  of  impiety, 
when  man  imagines  that  he  can  elude  the  observation  of  God 
in  his  acts  of  rebellion.  God  on  the  contrary  proclaims,  that 
whatever  we  devise,  whatever  we  attempt,  whatever  we  perform, 
is  present  to  his  view.  Our  conscience  must  therefore  be  pure 
even  from  the  most  latent  thoughts  of  apostacy,  if  we  wish  our 
religion  to  obtain  the  approbation  of  the  Lord.  For  he  re- 
quires from  us  the  glory  due  to  his  name  undiminished  and 
uncorrupted,  not  only  in  external  confession,  but  in  his  own 
eyes,  which  penetrate  the  inmost  recesses  of  our  hearts. 

THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 

THOU  SHALT  NOT  MAKE  UNTO  THEE  ANY  GRAVEN  IMAGE,  OR  ANY 
LIKENESS  OF  ANY  THING  THAT  IS  IN  HEAVEN  ABOVE,  OR  THAT 
IS  IN  THE  EARTH  BENEATH,  OR  THAT  IS  IN  THE  WATER  UNDER 
THE  EARTH.  THOU  SHALT  NOT  BOW  DOWN  THYSELF  TO  THEM, 
NOR  SERVE  THEM. 

XVII.  As  in  the  preceding  commandment  the  Lord  hath 
declared  himself  to  be  the  one  God,  beside  whom  no  other 
deities  ought  to  be  imagined  or  worshipped;  so  in  this  he  more 
clearly  reveals  his  nature,  and  the  kind  of  worship  with  which 
he  ought  to  be  honoured,  that  we  may  not  dare  to  form  any 
carnal  conceptions  of  him.  The  end  therefore  of  this  precept 
is,  that  he  will  not  have  his  legitimate  worship  profaned  with 
superstitious  rites.  Wherefore  in  a  word  he  calls  us  off,  and 
wholly  abstracts  us  from  carnal  observances,  which  our  foolish 


406  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

minds  are  accustomed  to  devise,  when  they  conceive  of  God 
according  to  the  grossness  of  their  own  apprehensions:  and 
therefore  he  calls  us  to  the  service  which  rightfully  belongs  to 
him,  that  is,  the  spiritual  worship  which  he  hath  instituted.  He 
marks  what  is  the  grossest  transgression  of  this  kind,  that  is, 
external  idolatry.  And  this  precept  consists  of  two  parts:  the 
first  restrains  us  from  licentiously  daring  to  make  God,  who  is 
incomprehensible,  the  subject  of  our  senses,  or  to  represent  him 
under  any  visible  form.  The  second  prohibits  us  from  paying 
religious  adoration  to  any  images.  He  likewise  briefly  enu- 
merates all  the  forms,  in  which  he  used  to  be  represented  by 
profane  and  superstitious  nations.  By  those  things  which  are 
in  heaven,  he  means  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  other  stars, 
and  perhaps  birds:  as  when  he  explains  his  meaning  in  the 
fourth  chapter  of  Deuteronomy,  he  mentions  birds  as  well  as 
the  stars,  (w)  This  I  should  not  have  remarked,  had  I  not 
known  some  persons  injudiciously  refer  this  clause  to  angels. 
I  omit  the  other  particulars,  as  needing  no  explanation.  And 
in  the  first  book  (oi)  we  have  already  sufficiently  proved  that 
whatever  visible  representations  of  God  are  invented  by  man 
are  diametrically  opposite  to  his  nature;  and  that  therefore  as 
soon  as  ever  idols  are  introduced,  true  religion  is  immediately 
corrupted  and  adulterated. 

XVIII.  The  penal  sanction  which  is  annexed  ought  to 
have  no  small  influence  in  arousing  us  from  our  lethargy.  He 
thus  threatens: 

FOR  I  THE  LORD  THY  GOD  AM  A  JEALOUS  GOD,  VISITING  THE 

INIQUITY  OF  THE  FATHERS  UPON  THE  CHILDREN  UNTO  THE 
THIRD  AND  FOURTH  GENERATION  OF  THEM  THAT  HATE  ME; 
AND  SHEWING  MERCY  UNTO  THOUSANDS  OF  THEM  THAT  LOVE 
ME,  AND  KEEP  MY  COMMANDMENTS. 

This  is  equivalent  to  a  declaration  that  it  is  to  him  alone  that 
we  ought  to  adhere.  And  to  urge  its  to  it,  he  announces  his 
power,  which  he  permits  none  with  impunity  to  despise  or 
undervalue.  For  the  Hebrew  word  El,  which  is  here  used  for 
God,  is  expressive  of  strength.  In  the  second  place,  he  calls 

•»  Denit.  iv.  17.  (x)  Cap.  xi.  12. 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  407 

himself  "  a  jealous  God,'*  who  can  bear  no  equal.  Thirdly, 
he  declares  that  he  will  avenge  his  majesty  and  glory  on  those 
who  transfer  it  to  creatures  or  to  graven  images;  and  that  not 
with  the  transient  punishment  of  the  original  transgressors 
only,  but  of  their  posterity  to  the  third  and  fourth  generation, 
that  is,  of  those  who  shall  imitate  the  impiety  of  their  fathers: 
as  he  also  permanently  displays  his  mercy  and  goodness, 
through  a  long  line  of  posterity,  to  those  who  love  him  and 
keep  his  law.  It  is  very  common  for  God  to  assume  the  cha- 
racter of  a  husband  to  us:  for  the  union,  in  which  he  connects 
us  with  himself,  when  he  receives  us  into  the  bosom  of  his 
Church,  bears  a  resemblance  to  the  sacred  conjugal  relation 
which  requires  to  be  supported  by  mutual  fidelity.  As  he 
performs  towards  us  all  the  duties  of  a  true  and  faithful  hus- 
band, so  he  demands  from  us  the  reciprocal  duties  of  con- 
jugal love  and  chastity;  that  is,  that  we  do  not  prostitute  our 
souls  to  Satan,  to  lust,  and  to  the  impurity  of  the  carnal  appe- 
tites. Wherefore,  when  he  reproves  the  apostacy  of  the  Jews, 
he  complains  that  they  had  discarded  chastity,  and  were  pol- 
luted with  adulteries,  (t/)  Therefore  as  a  husband  in  proportion 
to  the  superiority  of  his  purity  and  chastity  is  the  more 
grievously  incensed,  if  he  perceive  the  affection  of  his  wife 
inclining  to  a  rival;  so  the  Lord,  who  hath  in  truth  espoused 
us  to  himself,  declares  that  he  feels  the  most  ardent  jealousy, 
whenever  we  neglect  the  sacred  purity  of  his  conjugal  rela- 
tion to  us,  and  defile  ourselves  with  criminal  lusts,  but  especially 
when  we  transfer  to  any  other,  or  adulterate  with  any  super- 
stition, the  worship  of  his  majesty,  which  ought  to  be  preserved 
in  the  most  consummate  perfection.  Since  by  such  conduct  we 
not  only  violate  the  faith  pledged  in  our  nuptials,  but  even 
pollute  our  souls  with  spiritual  adultery. 

XIX.  Let  us  inquire  .what  he  intends  by  his  threatening  to 
"visit  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  to  the  third 
and  fourth  generation?"  For  besides  that  it  is  inconsistent 
with  the  equity  of  the  Divine  justice,  to  inflict  upon  an  inno- 
cent person  the  punishment  due  to  the  offences  of  another, 
God  himself  declares  that  "the  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity 

(v)  Jcr.  ill.  1,  2.  Hoe.  ii.  2. 


408  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

of  the  father."  (2)  But  this  expression  is  repeated  more  than 
once,  concerning  a  deferring  to  future  generations  of  tht 
punishments  of  crimes  committed  by  their  ancestors.  For 
Moses  frequently  speaks  of  "  the  Lord  visiting  the  iniquity  of 
the  fathers  upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and  fourth  ge- 
neration." («)  In  like  manner  Jeremiah;  "  Thou  shewest 
loving-kindness  unto  thousands,  and  recompensest  the  iniquity 
of  the  fathers  into  the  bosom  of  their  children  after  them."  (£) 
Some,  who  labour  very  hard  to  solve  this  difficulty,  are  of 
opinion  that  its  meaning  is  to  be  confined  to  temporal  punish- 
ments; which  if  children  sustain  through  the  sins  of  their 
parents,  there  is  nothing  absurd  in  it;  because  they  frequently 
conduce  to  the  salvation  of  those  on  whom  they  are  inflicted. 
This  is  certainly  true.  For  Isaiah  denounced  to  Hezekiah, 
that  on  account  of  the  sin  which  he  had  committed,  his  sons 
should  be  despoiled  of  the  kingdom  and  carried  away  into 
exile,  (c)  The  families  of  Pharaoh  and  Abimelech  are  afflicted 
on  account  of  the  injury  sustained  by  Abraham.  (</)  But  when 
this  is  adduced  as  a  solution  of  this  question,  it  is  rather  an 
evasion  of  it,  than  a  proper  explanation.  For  in  this  and  in 
similar  places  the  Lord  threatens  a  punishment  too  great  to  be 
terminated  by  the  limits  of  the  present  life.  It  must  therefore 
be  understood  as  a  declaration  that  the  curse  of  the  Lord 
righteously  rests  not  only  on  the  person  of  an  impious  man,  but 
also  on  his  whole  family.  Where  it  has  rested,  what  can  be 
expected,  but  that  the  father  being  destitute  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  will  lead  a  most  flagitious  life;  and  that  the  son,  expe- 
riencing, in  consequence  of  the  iniquity  of  his  father,  a  similar 
dereliction  by  the  Lord,  will  pursue  the  same  path  to  perdi- 
tion; and  that  the  grandson  and  the  great  grandson,  the 
execrable  posterity  of  detestable  men,  will  run  headlong  after 
them  down  the  same  precipice  of  destruction? 

XX.  First  let  us  inquire,  whether  such  punishment  be  in- 
consistent with  the  Divine  justice.  If  the  whole  nature  of 
man  be  worthy  of  condemnation,  we  know  that  destruction 
awaits  those  who  are  not  favoured  by  the  Lord  with  the  com- 
munication of  his  grace.  Nevertheless  they  perish  through 

(3)  Ezek.  xviii.  20.  (a)  Numb.  xiv.  18.  (ft)  Jer.  xxxii.  1?. 

(r)  Isaiah  xxxix:  ".  (</)  Gen.  xii.  17-  sx  ". 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  409 

their  own  iniquity,  and  not  through  the  unjust  hatred  of  God. 
Nor  is  there  any  room  left  for  expostulation,  why  they  are  "not 
assisted  by  Divine  grace  to  obtain  salvation  as  well  as  others. 
Since  it  is  a  punishment  therefore  inflicted  on  the  impious  and 
flagitious,  in  consequence  of  their  transgressions,  that  their 
families  remain  destitute  of  Divine  grace  for  many  generations; 
who  can  bring  any  accusation  against  God  for  this  most 
righteous  instance  of  his  vengeance?  But  it  will  be  said,  the 
Lord  declares,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  punishment  of  the  sin 
of  the  father  shall  not  be  transferred  to  the  son.  Observe  the 
subject  that  is  treated  of  in  that  place.  The  Israelites,  after 
they  had  been  long  harassed  by  numerous  and  unceasing 
calamities,  began  to  use  this  proverb,  "The  fathers  have 
eaten  sour  grapes,  and  the  children's  teeth  are  set  on  edge:"  (e) 
by  which  they  insinuated,  that  sins  had  been  committed  by 
their  parents,  the  punishment  of  which  was  inflicted  on  them 
who  were  otherwise  righteous  and  innocent,  more  through  the 
implacable  wrath  of  God,  than  through  a  just  severity.  The  pro- 
phet announces  to  them  that  this  is  not  the  case,  but  that  they 
are  punished  for  their  own  transgressions,  and  that  it  is  incom- 
patible with  the  Divine  justice  to  punish  a  righteous  son  for 
the  iniquity  of  a  wicked  father.  Nor  is  this  to  be  found  in  the 
penal  sanction  now  under  consideration.  For  if  the  visitation, 
of  which  we  are  treating,  be  fulfilled,  when  God  removes  from 
the  family  of  the  impious  his  grace,  the  light  of  his  truth,  and 
the  other  means  of  salvation;  the  very  circumstance  of  children 
blinded  and  abandoned  by  him  being  found  treading  in  the 
footsteps  of  their  fathers,  is  an  instance  of  their  bearing  the 
curse  in  consequence  of  the  crimes  of  their  parents.  But  their 
being  the  subjects  of  temporal  miseries,  and  at  length  of  eter- 
nal perdition,  are  punishments  from  the  righteous  judgment 
^)f  God,  not  for  the  sins  of  others,  but  on  account  of  their  own 
iniquity. 

XXI.  On  the  other  hand,  God  gives  a  promise  to  extend 
his  mercy  to  a  thousand  generations;  which  also  frequently 
occurs  in  the  Scripture,  and  is  inserted  in  the  solemn  covenant 
with  the  Church:  "I  will  be  a  God  unto  thee,  and  to  thy 

(e)  Ezek.  xviii.  2. 

VOL.  I.  3  F 


410  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

seed  after  thee."  (/)  In  allusion  to  this,  Solomon  says,  thai 
"  the  children  of  the  just  man  are  blessed  after  him;"  (£•)  not 
only  as  the  effect  of  a  religious  education,  which  is  of  no  small 
importance,  but  also  in  consequence  of  the  blessing  promised  in 
the  covenant,  that  the  grace  of  God  shall  perpetually  remain 
in  the  families  of  the  pious.  This  is  a  source  of  peculiar  con- 
solation to  the  faithful,  but  to  the  impious  of  great  terror: 
for  if  even  after  death  the  memory  of  righteousness  and  ini- 
quity has  so  much  influence  with  God,  that  the  curse  of  the 
one  and  the  blessing  of  the  other  will  redound  to  posterity, 
much  more  will  it  remain  on  the  persons  of  the  actors  them- 
selves. Now  it  is  no  objection  to  our  argument,  that  the  de- 
scendants of  the  impious  sometimes  grow  better,  while  those 
of  the  faithful  degenerate;  since  the  Legislator  never  intended 
to  establish  in  this  case  such  an  invariable  rule,  as  would  dero- 
gate from  his  own  free  choice.  For  it  is  sufficient  for  the  con- 
solation of  the  righteous  and  the  terror  of  the  sinner,  that  the 
denunciation  is  not  vain  or  inefficacious,  although  it  be  not 
always  executed.  For  as  the  temporal  punishments  inflicted 
on  a  few  wicked  men  are  testimonies  of  the  Divine  wrath 
against  sin,  and  of  the  judgment  that  will  hereafter  be  pro- 
nounced on  all  sinners,  though  many  escape  with  impunity 
even  to  the  end  of  their  lives:  so  when  the  Lord  exhibits  one 
example  of  this  blessing,  in  manifesting  his  mercy  and  good- 
ness to  the  son  for  the  sake  of  his  father,  he  affords  a  proof  of 
his  constant  and  perpetual  favour  to  his  worshippers;  and 
when  in  any  one  instance  he  pursues  the  iniquity  of  the  father 
in  the  son,  he  shews  what  a  judgment  awaits  all  the  reprobate 
on  account  of  their  own  transgressions:  the  certainty  of  which 
was  what  he  principally  designed  in  this  passage.  He  also  gives 
us  a  cursory  intimation  of  the  greatness  of  his  mercy,  which  he 
extends  to  a  thousand  generations,  while  he  has  assigned  only 
four  generations  to  his  vengeance. 

THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 

THOU      SHALT      NOT     TAKE     THE     NAME     OF      THE     LORD     THY 
GOD    IN    VAIN. 

(/)  Gen.  xvii.  7.  ($•)  Prov.  xx.  T. 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  411 

XXII.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  the  Lord  will  have 
the  majesty  of  his  nam^  to  be  held  inviolably  sacred  by  us. 
The  substance  of  the  command  therefore  is,  that  we  ought  not 
to  profane  that  name  by  a  contemptuous  or  irreverent  use  of 
it.   This    prohibition  necessarily  implies    an    injunction,  that 
we  studiously  and  carefully  treat  it  with  religious  veneration. 
Therefore  it  becomes  us  to  regulate  our  thoughts  and  words  in 
such  a  manner  that  we  may  not  think  or  speak  any  thing  con- 
cerning God  and  his  mysteries,  but  with  the  greatest  sobriety 
and  reverence:  that  in  meditating  on  his  works  we  may  form 
no  opinion  that  is  dishonourable  to  him.  These  three  things, 
I  say,  we  ought  most  carefully  to  observe:  first,  that  whatever 
we  think,  and  whatever  we  say  of  him,  should  savour  of  his 
excellence,  correspond  to  the   sacred  sublimity  of  his  name, 
and    tend  to   the   exaltation    of  his    magnificence.    Secondly, 
we    should   not    rashly  and    preposterously    abuse    his    holy 
word  and  adorable  mysteries  to  the  purposes  of  ambition,  of 
avarice,  or  of  amusement;  but  as  they  bear  an  impression  of 
the  dignity  of  his  name,  they  should  always  receive  from  us 
the  honour  and    esteem   which  belong   to  them.   Lastly,  We 
should  not  injure  his  works  by  obloquy  or  detraction,  as  some 
miserable  mortals  are    accustomed  to    do;  but  whenever  we 
mention  any  thing  done  by  him,  we  should  celebrate  it  with 
encomiums  of  wisdom,  justice,  and  goodness.  This  is  "sanc- 
tifying" the  name  of  God.   In  every  other  case,  it  is  violated 
by  a  vain  and  criminal  abuse,  because  it  is  carried  beyond  the 
limits  of  that  legitimate  use,  to  which  alone  it  is  consecrated; 
and  though  no  other  consequence  ensue,  it  is  deprived  of  its 
dignity,  and  by  degrees  rendered  contemptible.  But  if  it  be 
so  criminal  thus  rashly  and  unseasonably  to  introduce  the  name 
of  God  on  every  occasion,  much  more  so  must  it  be  to  apply 
it  to  such  nefarious  uses  as  they  do,  who  make  it  subservient 
to  the  superstitions  of  necromancy,  to  horrible  imprecations, 
to  unlawful  exorcisms,  and  to  other  impious  incantations.  But 
an  oath  is  the  thing  principally  contemplated  in  the  command, 
as  the  most  detestable  instance  of  the  perverse  abuse  of  the 
Divine  name;  and  this  is  done  to  inspire  us  with  the  greater 
horror  of  every  species  of  profanation  of  it.  That  this  precept 
relates  to  the  worship  of  God  and  the  reverence  of  his  name, 


41*  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

and  ndt  to  the  equity  that  ought  to  be  observed  among  man- 
kind, appears  from  this;  that  the  subsequent  condemnation, 
in  the  second  table,  of  perjury  and  false  witness  by  which  so- 
ciety is  injured,  would  be  a  needless  repetition,  if  the  present  pre- 
cept related  to  a  civil  duty.  Besides,  the  division  of  the  law 
requires  this;  for  as  we  have  already  observed,  it  is  not  in  vain 
that  God  has  distributed  the  law  into  two  tables.  Whence  we 
conclude,  that  in  this  command  he  vindicates  his  just  claims 
and  guards  the  sanctity  of  his  name,  but  does  not  teach  the 
duties  which  men  owe  to  each  other. 

XXIII.  In  the  first  place  we  have  to  explain  what  an  oath  is. 
It  consists  in  calling  upon  God  as  a  witness,  to  confirm  the  truth 
of  any  declaration  that  we  make.  For  execrations,  which  con- 
tain manifest  reproaches  against  God,  are  not  worthy  to  be 
mentioned  among  oaths.  That  such  an  attestation,  when 
rightly  performed,  is  a  species  of  Divine  worship,  is  evident 
from  many  places  of  Scripture.  As  when  Isaiah  prophesies  of 
the  vocation  of  the  Assyrians  and  Egyptians  to  participate 
in  the  covenant  of  Israel:  "  They  shall  speak,"  says  he,  "  the 
language  of  Canaan,  and  swear  to  the  Lord  of  hosts."  (/t)  By 
"  swearing  to  the  Lord"  here  is  intended  making  a  profession  of 
religion.  Again,  when  he  speaks'  of  the  extension  of  his  king- 
dom: "  He  who  blesseth  himself  in  the  earth  shall  bless  him- 
self in  the  God  of  truth;  and  he  that  sweareth  in  the  earth 
shall  swear  by  the  God  of  truth."  (?)  Jeremiah  says,  "  If  they 
will  diligently  learn  the  ways  of  my  people,  to  swear  by  my 
name,  The  Lord  liveth;  as  they  taught  my  people  to  swear  by 
Baal;  then  shall  they  be  built  in  the  midst  of  my  people."  (/£) 
And  we  are  justly  said  to  profess  our  religion  to  the  Lord, 
when  we  invoke  his  name  to  bear  witness  to  us.  For  thereby 
we  confess  that  he  is  truth  itself,  eternal  and  immutable;  whom 
we  call  not  only  as  a  witness  of  the  truth,  excelling  all  others, 
but  also  as  the  only  defender  of  it  who  is  able  to  bring  to  light 
things  which  are  concealed,  and  in  a  word,  as  the  searcher  of 
all  hearts.  For  where  hum  an  testimonies  are  wanting,  we 
resort  for  refuge  to  the  testimony  of  God;  and  particularly 
when  any  thing  is  to  be  affirmed,  which  is  hidden  in  'the  con- 

(h)  Isaiah  six.  18.          (»)  Isaiah  Ixv.  16.  (>)  Jer.  xii.  16. 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  413 

science.  For  which  reason  the  Lord  is  extremely  angry  with 
them,  who  swear  by  strange  gods,  and  interprets  that  species 
of  swearing  as  a  proof  of  manifest  defection  from  him.  "  Thy 
children  have  forsaken  me,  and  sworn  by  them  that  are  no 
gods."  (/)  And  he  declares  the  atrociousness  of  this  crime  by 
his  denunciation  of  punishment:  "  I  will  eut  off  them  that 
swear  by  the  Lord,  and  that  swear  by  Malcham."  (m) 

XXIV.  Now  since  we  understand  it  to  be  the  will  of  the 
Lord,  that  we  should  reverence  his  name   in  our  oaths,  we 
ought  to  use  so  much  the  more  caution,  lest  instead  of  re- 
verence   they  betray  dishonour    or  contempt  of  it.    It   is   no 
trifling  insult  to  him,  when  perjury  is  committed  in  his  name; 
and  therefore  the  law  calls  it  a  profanation,  (n)  But  what  re- 
mains to  the  Lord,  when  he  is  despoiled  of  his  truth?  he  will 
then  cease  to  be  God.  But  he  is  Certainly  despoiled  of  it,  when 
he  is  made  an  abettor  and  approver  of  a  falsehood.  Where- 
fore when  Joshua  would  induce  Achan  to  a  confession  of  the 
truth,  he  says,  "  My  son,  give,  I  pray  thee,  glory  to  the  Lord 
God  of  Israel:"  (o)  implying  in  this  that  the  Lord  is  grievously 
dishonoured,  if  perjury  be  committed  in  his  name.  Nor  is  this 
strange;  for  in  such  case  we  do  all  that  is  in  our  power  to  brand 
his  sacred  name  with  a  falsehood.  And  that  this  form  of  ex- 
pression was  customary  among  the  Jews,  whenever  any  man 
was  called  to  take  an  oath,  appears  from  a  similar  adjuration 
used  by  the  Pharisees  in  the  Gospel  of  John.  (/>)  To  this  cau- 
tion we  are  accustomed  by  the  forms  of  oaths  which  are  used 
in  the  Scriptures:  "  The  Lord  liveth:"  (y)  "  God  do  so  and 
more  also  to  me:"(r)  "  I  call  God  for  a  record  upon  my  soul:"(*) 
which  imply,  that  we  cannot  invoke  God  to  be  a  witness  to  our 
declarations,  without  imprecating  his  vengeance  upon  us  if  we 
be  guilty  of  perjury. 

XXV.  The  name  of  God  is  rendered  vile  and  contemptible, 
when  it  is  used  in  unnecessarily  swearing  even  to  what  is  true; 
for  in  this  instance  also  it  is  taken  in  vain.  Wherefore  it  will 
not  be  sufficient  to  abstain  from  perjury;  unless  we  also  remem- 
ber, that  swearing  is  permitted  and  appointed,  not  for  the  sake 

(/)  Jer.  v.  7.  (m)  Zeph.  i.  4,  5.  (n)  Lev.  xix.  12. 

(o)  Joshua  vii.  19.        (/>)  John  ix.  24.  (y)  1  Sam.  xiv.  45. 

''•)  2  Kings  vi.  31.        (.?)  2  Cor.  i.  23. 


414  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ii. 

of  our  pleasure  or  caprice,  but  from  necessity;  and  that  the 
lawful  use  of  it  therefore  is  transgressed  by  those  who  apply  it 
to  cases  where  it  is  not  necessary.  Now  no  other  necessity 
can  be  pretended,  but  when  we  want  to  serve  either  religion 
or  charity.  This  crime  in  the  present  day  is  carried  to  a  very 
great  extent,  and  it  is  so  much  the  more  intolerable,  since  by 
its  frequency  it  has  ceased  to  be  considered  as  a  crime,  though 
before  the  Divine  tribunal  it  is  deemed  no  trivial  offence. 
For  the  name  of  God  is  universally  profaned  without  concern 
in  trifling  conversations;  and  it  is  not  considered  as  sinful,  be- 
cause this  presumptuous  wickedness  has  been  so  long  practised 
with  impunity.  But  the  Divine  command  remains  valid; 
the  sanction  remains  firm;  and  a  future  day  will  witness  the 
completion  of  that  part  of  it  which  denounces  a  particular 
punishment  against  those  who  take  his  name  in  vain.  This 
precept  is  violated  also  in  another  way.  If  in  our  oaths  we  sub- 
stitute the  servants  of  God  in  the  place  of  God  himself,  we  are 
guilty  of  manifest  impiety;  because  we  thereby  transfer  te 
them  the  glory  due  to  the  Deity.  Nor  is  it  without  reason, 
that  God  by  a  special  command  enjoins  us  to  swear  by  his 
name,  (?)  and  by  a  special  prohibition  interdicts  us  from  swear- 
ing by  any  strange  gods,  (u)  And  the  Apostle  evidently  attests 
the  same,  when  he  says,  that  "men  swear  by  the  greater,  but 
that  God,  because  he  could  swear  by  no  greater,  sware  by 
himself."  (w) 

XXVI.  The  Anabaptists,  not  satisfied  with  this  limitation 
of  oaths,  condemn  all  oaths  without  exception;  because  the 
prohibition  of  Christ  is  general:  "  I  say  unto  you,  Swear  not 
at  all.  But  let  your  communication  be,  Yea,  yea;  Nay,  nay: 
for  whatsoever  is  more  than  these  cometh  of  evil."  (^)  But  by 
this  mode  of  interpretation  they  set  Christ  in  opposition  to 
the  Father,  as  though  he  descended  into  this  world  to  abrogate 
the  Father's  decrees.  For  in  the  law  the  eternal  God  not 
only  permits  an  oath,  as  a  lawful  thing,  which  would  be  suffi- 
cient to  justify  the  use  of  it,  but  in  cases  of  necessity  com- 
mands it.  (*/)  Now  Christ  asserts,  that  "  he  and  his  Father  are 
one,"  that  "  he  acts  only  according  to  the  commands  of  the 

(<)  Deut.  vi.  13.  (v )  Exocl.  xxiii.  13.  (w)  Heb.  vi.  13,  16. 

(x)  Matt.  V.  34.  (  v)  Exod.  xxii.  11. 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  415 

Father,"  that  "  his  doctrine  is  not  of  himself,"  &c.  (2)  What 
then?  will  they  make  God  contradict  himself,  by  prohibiting 
and  condemning  in  our  conduct  that  which  he  hath  before  ap- 
proved and  enjoined?  But  as  the  words  of  Christ  involve 
some  difficulty,  let  us  enter  on  a  brief  examination  of  them. 
Here  we  shall  never  arrive  at  the  truth,  unless  we  attend  to  the 
design  of  Christ,  and  advert  to  the  subject  of  which  he  is  there 
treating.  His  design  is  not  to  relax  or  to  restrict  the  law,  but  to 
reduce  it  to  its  true  and  genuine  meaning,  which  had  been 
very  much  corrupted  by  the  false  comments  of  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees.  If  we  bear  this  in  our  minds,  we  shall  not  be  of 
opinion  that  Christ  condemned  all  oaths,  but  only  those  which 
transgress  the  rule  of  the  law.  It  appears  to  have  been  the 
custom  of  the  people  at  that  time  to  avoid  nothing  but  per- 
juries; whereas  the  law  forbids  not  only  perjuries,  but  likewise 
all  vain  and  superfluous  oaths.  Our  Lord  therefore,  that 
infallible  expositor  of  the  law,  apprizes  them  that  it  is  sinful, 
not  only  to  perjure  themselves,  but  even  to  swear.  To  swear 
in  what  manner?  In  vain.  But  the  oaths  which  are  sanctioned 
in  the  law  he  leaves  without  any  objection.  They  consider 
themselves  as  urging  a  very  powerful  argument,  when  they 
violently  insist  on  the  particle  at  all;  which  nevertheless  refers 
not  to  the  word  sivear,  but  to  the  forms  of  oaths  that  are 
there  subjoined.  For  the  error  there  condemned  consisted, 
partly,  in  a  supposition  that  in  swearing  by  heaven  and  earth, 
there  was  no  interference  with  the  name  of  God.  Therefore, 
after  the  principal  instance  of  transgression,  the  Lord  goes  on 
to  destroy  all  their  subterfuges,  that  they  may  not  imagine 
themselves  to  have  escaped  by  suppressing  the  name  of  God,, 
and  calling  heaven  and  earth  to  witness  for  them.  For  here, 
by  the  way,  it  must  be  remained,  that  men  indirectly  swear  by- 
God,  though  his  name  is  not  expressed;  as  when  they  sweat- 
by  the  light  of  life,  by  the  bread  which  they  eat,  by  their 
baptism,  or  by  any  other  blessings  which  they  have  received 
from  the  Divine  munificence.  Nor  does  Christ  in  that  place 
prohibit  them  from  swearing  by  heaven,  and  earth,  and  Jeru- 
salem, in  order  to  correct  superstition,  as  some  falsely  imagine; 

(:)  John  x.  30.  18.  vii.  16. 


416  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

but  rather  to  confute  the  sophistical  subtlety  of  persons  who 
thought  there  was  no  crime  in  the  foolish  use  of  indirect  oaths, 
as  though  they  were  not  chargeable  with  profaning  the  sacred 
name  of  God,  which  is  engraven  however  on  all  his  benefits. 
But  the  case  is  different,  where  any  mortal  man,  or  one  that 
is  dead,  or  an  angel,  is  substituted  in  the  place  of  God;  as 
among  idolatrous  nations  adulation  invented  that  odious  form  of 
swearing  by  the  life  or  genius  of  the  king:  because  in  such  cases 
the  deification  of  a  creature  obscures  and  diminishes  the  glory 
of  the  only  true  God.  But  when  we  mean  nothing  but  to  derive 
a  confirmation  to  our  assertions  from  the  sacred  name  of  God, 
although  it  be  done  in  an  indirect  manner,  yet  all  such  fri- 
volous oaths  are  offensive  to  his  majesty.  Christ  deprives  this 
licentious  practice  of  every  vain  excuse,  by  his  prohibition  of 
swearing  at  all.  James  also  aims  at  the  same  point,  (a)  where 
he  uses  the  language  of  Christ,  which  I  have  cited:  because  this 
presumption  has  always  been  prevalent  in  the  world,  notwith- 
standing it  is  a  profanation  of  the  name  of  God.  For  if  you 
refer  the  particle  at  all  to  the  substance  of  swearing,  as 
though  every  oath  without  exception  were  unlawful,  what 
means  the  explanation  which  is  immediately  annexed,  "  Neither 
by  heaven,  neither  by  the  earth,"  &c.  language  evidently  used 
in  refutation  of  those  cavils,  which  the  Jews  considered  as  fur- 
nishing an  excuse  for  their  sin. 

XXVII.  It  can  no  longer  be  doubtful  therefore  to  persons 
of  sound  judgment,  that  the  Lord,  in  that  passage,  only  con- 
demns those  oaths  which  had  been  forbidden  by  the  law.  For 
even  he,  who  exhibited  in  his  life  an  example  of  the  perfection 
which  he  inculcated,  hesitated  not  to  make  use  of  oaths  when- 
ever occasion  required;  and  his  disciples  who,  we  doubt  not, 
were  obedient  to  their  master  in  all  things,  followed  the  same 
example.  Who  can  dare  to  assert,  that  Paul  would  have 
sworn,  if  all  oaths  had  been  prohibited?  But  when  the  occasion 
requires  it,  he  swears  without  any  scruple,  and  sometimes  even 
adds  an  imprecation.  The  question  however  is  not  yet  de- 
cided: for  it  is  the  opinion  of  some  persons,  that  public  oaths 
are  the  only  exceptions  from  this  prohibition:  such  as  wo  t;il-n 

(a)  James  v.  12. 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  417 

when  required  by  a  magistrate;  such  also  as  princes  are  accus- 
tomed to  use  in  ratifying  treaties;  or  subjects,  when  they  swear 
allegiance  to  their  prince;  or  soldiers,  as  a  military  test;  and 
others  of  a  similar  kind.  To  this  class  also  they  justly  refer  those 
oaths  which  we  find  used  by  Paul  in  assertion  of  the  dignity  of 
the  gospel;  because  the  apostles  in  the  exercise  of  their  functions 
were  not  private  persons,  but  public  ministers  of  God.  And  in- 
deed I  will  not  deny  that  these  are  the  safest  oaths;  because  they 
are  sanctioned  by  the  strongest  testimonies  of  Scripture.  A  ma- 
gistrate is  directed  in  a  dubious  case  to  put  a  witness  to  his 
oath,  and  the  witness  on  the  other  hand  is  required  to  answer 
on  his  oath;  and  the  apostle  says,  that  human  controversies  are 
adjusted  by  this  expedient.  (£)  In  this  precept  both  parties 
are  furnished  with  a  complete  justification  of  their  conduct. 
Moreover  we  may  observe  that  among  the  ancient  heathens  a 
public  and  solemn  oath  was  held  in  great  reverence;  but  that 
common  ones,  which  they  used  in  their  ordinary  intercourse, 
were  not  esteemed  of  any,  or  of  equal  importance,  because  they 
imagined  that  these  were  not  regarded  by  the  Divine  majesty. 
But  it  would  be  too  dangerous  to  condemn  private  oaths,  which 
are  taken  in  cases  of  necessity  with  sobriety,  integrity,  and 
reverence,  since  they  are  supported  both  by  reason  and  by 
scriptural  examples.  For  if  it  be  lawful  for  private  persons 
in  an  important  and  serious  affair  to  appeal  to  God  as  a  judge 
between  them,  much  more  must  it  be  allowable  to  invoke  him 
as  a  witness.  Your  brother  will  accuse  you  of  perfidy,  you 
endeavour  to  exculpate  yourself,  he  will  not  permit  himself  by 
any  means  to  be  satisfied.  If  your  reputation  be  endangered 
by  his  obstinate  malignity,  you  may  without  any  offence  appeal 
to  the  judgment  of  God,  that  in  his  own  time  he  will  manifest 
your  innocence.  If  the  words  be  strictly  examined,  it  is  a 
less  thing  to  appeal  to  him  as  a  witness  than  as  a  judge.  I 
see  not  therefore  why  we  should  assert  such  an  appeal  to  him 
to  be  unlawful.  There  are  not  wanting  numerous  examples 
of  it.  If  the  oath  of  Abraham  and  Isaac  with  Abimelech  be 
alleged  to  have  been  taken  in  a  public  capacity,  yet  certainly 
Jacob  and  Laban  were  private  persons,  and  vet  they  confirmed 

(6)  Heb.  vi.  16. 
VOL.  I.  3  G 


4t&  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

the  coveaant  between  them  by  a  mutual  oath,  (c)  Boaz  was  a 
private  person,  who  confirmed  in  the  same  manner  his  promise 
of  marriage  to  Ruth.  (W)  Obadiah  was  a  private  person,  a 
righteous  man,  and  one  that  feared  the  Lord,  who  declared 
with  an  oath  the  fact  of  which  he  wished  to  convince  Elijah,  (e) 
I  can  find  therefore  no  better  rule,  than  that  we  regulate  our 
oaths  in  such  a  manner,  that  they  be  not  rash  or  inconsiderate, 
wanton  or  frivolous,  but  used  in  cases  of  real  necessity,  as  for 
vindicating  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  or  promoting  the  edifica- 
tion of  our  brother;  which  is  the  end  of  this  commandment  of 
the  law. 

THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 
REMEMBER   THE  SABBATH  DAY,  TO  KEEP  IT  HOLY.  Six  DAYS 

SHALT  THOU  LABOUR,  AND  DO  ALL  THY  WOUK:  BUT  THE 
SEVENTH  DAY  IS  THE  SABBATH  OF  THE  LORD  THY  GOD;  IV 
IT  THOU  SHALT  NOT  DO  ANY  WORK,  &C. 

XXVIII.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  being  dead  to  our 
own  affections  and  works,  we  should  meditate  on  the  kingdom 
of  God,  and  be  exercised  in  that  meditation  in  the  observance 
of  his  institutions.  But,  as  it  has  an  aspect  peculiar  and  dis- 
tinct from  the  others,  it  requires  a  little  different  kind  of  expo- 
sition. The  fathers  frequently  call  it  a  shadowy  command- 
ment,  because  it  contains  the  external  observance  of  the  day, 
which  was  abolished  with  the  rest  of  the  figures  at  the  advent 
of  Christ.  And  there  is  much  truth  in  their  observation,  but 
it  reaches  only  half  of  the  subject.  Wherefore  it  is  necessary 
to  seek  farther  for  an  exposition,  and  to  consider  three  causes, 
on  which  I  think  I  have  discovered  this  commandment  to  rest. 
For  it  was  the  design  of  the  heavenly  Lawgiver,  under  the 
rest  of  the  seventh  day,  to  give  the  people  of  Israel  a  figure  oi 
the  spiritual  rest,  by  which  the  faithful  ought  to  refrain  from 
their  own  works,  in  order  to  leave  God  to  work  within  them. 
His  design  was,  secondly,  that  there  should  be  a  stated  day, 
on  which  they  might  assemble  together  to  hear  the  law  and 
perform  the  ceremonies,  or  at  least  which  they  might  especially 

(c)  Gen.  xxi.  24.  xxvi.  31.  xxxi.  53.      (rf)  Kutli  iii.  13.      (e)  1  Kings  xviii.  10. 


CHAP,  vin.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  419 

devote  to  meditations  on  his  works;  that  by  this  recollection 
they  might  be  led  to  the  exercise  of  piety.  Thirdly,  he 
thought  it  right  that  servants,  and  persons  living  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  others,  should  be  indulged  with  a  day  of  rest, 
that  they  might  enjoy  some  remission  from  their  labour. 

XXIX.  Yet  we  are  taught  in  many  places  that  this  adum- 
bration of  the  spiritual  rest  was  the  principal  design  of  the 
sabbath.  For  the  Lord  is  hardly  so  strict  in  his  requisitions 
of  obedience  to  any  other  precept,  (y)  When  he  means  to 
intimate,  in  the  prophets,  that  religion  is  totally  subverted,  he 
complains  that  his  sabbaths  are  polluted,  violated,  neglected, 
and  profaned:  (£•)  as  though,  in  case  of  that  duty  being  ne- 
glected, there  remained  no  other  way  in  which  he  could  be 
honoured.  On  the  other  hand,  he  notices  the  observance  of 
it  with  singular  encomiums.  Wherefore  also,  among  the  other 
Divine  communications,  the  faithful  used  very  highly  to  esteem 
the  revelation  of  the  sabbath.  For  this  is  the  language  of  the 
Levites  in  a  solemn  assembly,  recorded  by  Nehemiah:  "  Thou 
madest  known  unto  our  fathers  thy  holy  sabbath,  and  com- 
mandedst  them  precepts,  statutes,  and  laws,  by  the  hand  of 
Moses."  (A)  We  see  the  singular  estimation  in  which  it  is 
held  among  all  the  commandments  of  the  law.  All  these 
things  tend  to  display  the  dignity  of  the  mystery,  which  is 
beautifully  expressed  by  Moses  and  Ezekiel.  In  Exodus  we 
read  as  follows:  "  Verily  my  sabbaths  ye  shall  keep:  for  it  is 
a  sign  between  me  and  you  throughout  your  generations;  that 
ye  may  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  that  doth  sanctify  you.  Ye 
shall  keep  the  sabbath  therefore;  for  it  is  holy  unto  you.  The 
children  of  Israel  shall  keep  the  sabbath,  to  observe  the  sabbath 
throughout  their  generations,  for  a  perpetual  covenant.  It  is 
a  sign  between  me  and  the  children  of  Israel  for  ever."  (z) 
This  is  more  fully  expressed  by  Ezekiel,  but  the  substance  of 
what  he  says  is,  that  the  sabbath  was  a  sign  from  which  the 
Israelites  might  know  that  God  was  their  sanctifier.  (4)  If 
our  sanctification  consists  properly  in  a  mortification  of  our 
will,  there  is  a  very  natural  analogy  between  the  external  sign 

(/)  Numb.  xiii.  22.  Ezek.  xx.  12.  xxii.  8.  xxiii.  38. 

(g)  Jer.  xvii.  21,  22,  27.  Isaiah  Ivi.  2.  (A)  Neh.  ix.  14. 

Ci)  Exod.  xxxi.  13,  14,  16,  17.  (*)  Ezek.  xt.  1C 


420  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

and  the  internal  thing  which  it  represents.  We  must  rest 
altogether,  that  God  may  operate  within  us;  we  must  recede 
from  our  own  will,  resign  our  own  heart,  and  renounce  our 
carnal  affections;  in  short,  we  must  cease  from  all  the  efforts 
of  our  own  understanding,  that  having  God  operating  within 
us,  we  may  enjoy  rest  in  him,  as  w«  are  also  taught  by  the 
apostle.  (/) 

XXX.  This  perpetual  cessation  was  represented  to  the 
Jews  by  the  observance  of  one  day  in  seven,  which  the  Lord, 
in  order  that  it  might  be  the  more  religiously  kept,  recom- 
mended by  his  own  example.  For  it  is  no  small  stimulus  to 
any  action,  for  a  man  to  know  that  he  is  imitating  his  Creator. 
If  any  one  inquire  after  a  hidden  signification  in  the  septenary 
number;  it  is  probable,  that  because  in  the  Scripture  it  is 
the  number  of  perfection,  it  is  here  selected  to  denote  perpetual 
duration.  This  is  confirmed  also  by  the  circumstance,  that 
Moses,  with  that  day  in  which  he  narrates  that  the  Lord  rested 
from  his  works,  concludes  his  description  of  the  succession  of 
days  and  nights.  We  may  also  adduce  another  probable  conjec- 
ture respecting  this  number;  that  the  Lord  intended  to  signify- 
that  the  sabbath  would  never  be  completed  till  the  arrival  of 
the  last  day.  For  in  it  we  begin  that  blessed  rest,  in  which 
we  make  new  advances  from  day  to  day.  But  because  we  are 
still  engaged  in  a  perpetual  warfare  with  the  flesh,  it  will  not 
be  consummated  before  the  completion  of  that  prediction  of 
Isaiah,  u  It  shall  come  to  pass,  that  from  one  new  moon  to 
another,  and  from  one  sabbath  to  another,  shall  all  flesh  come 
to  worship  before  me,  saith  the  Lord;"  (m)  that  is,  when  God 
shall  be  "  all  in  all."  (n)  The  Lord  may  be  considered  there- 
fore as  having  delineated  to  his  people,  in  the  seventh  day,  the 
future  perfection  of  his  sabbath  in  the  last  day,  that,  by  a  con- 
tinual meditation  on  the  sabbath  during  their  whole  life,  they 
might  be  aspiring  towards  this  perfection. 

XXXI.  If  any  one  disapprove  of  this  observation  on  the 
number,  as  too  curious,  I  object  not  to  its  being  understood  in 
a  more  simple  manner;  that  the  Lord  ordained  a  certain  day, 
that  the  people  under  the  discipline  of  the  law  might  be  exer- 

(/)  Heb.  iv.  9.  (m)  Isaiah  Ixvi.  23.  (n)  1  Cor.  xv.  28. 


CUAP.  viii.]     CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  421 

cised  in  continual  meditations  on  the  spiritual  rest;  that  he 
appointed  the  seventh  day,  either  because  he  foresaw  it  would 
be  sufficient,  or  in  order  that  the  proposal  of  a  resemblance  to 
his  own  example  might  operate  as  a  stronger  stimulus  to  the 
people,  or  at  least  to  apprize  them  that  the  only  end  of  the 
sabbath  was  to  promote  their  conformity  to  their  Creator. 
For  this  is  ot  little  importance,  provided  we  retain  the  mystery, 
which  is  principally  exhibited,  of  a  perpetual  rest  from  our 
own  works.  To  the  contemplation  of  this,  the  prophets  used 
frequently  to  recal  the  Jews,  that  they  might  not  suppose 
themselves  to  have  discharged  their  duty  merely  by  a  cessation 
from  manual  labours.  Beside  the  passages  already  cited,  we 
have  the  following  in  Isaiah:  "  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from 
the  sabbath,  from  doing  thy  pleasure  on  my  holy  day;  and  call 
the  sabbath  a  delight,  the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honourable;  and 
shalt  honour  him,  not  doing  thine  own  ways,  nor  finding  thine 
own  pleasure,  nor  speaking  thine  own  words:  then  shalt  thou 
delight  thyself  in  the  Lord,"  &c.  (0)  But  all  that  it  contained 
of  a  ceremonial  nature  was  without  doubt  abolished  by  the 
advent  of  the  Lord  Christ.  For  he  is  the  truth,  at  whose 
presence  all  figures  disappear;  the  body,  on  the  prospect  of 
which  all  the  shadows  are  relinquished.  He,  I  say,  is  the 
true  fulfilment  of  the  sabbath.  Having  been  "  buried  with 
him  by  baptism,  we  have  been  planted  together  in  the  likeness 
of  his  death,  that  being  partakers  of  his  resurrection,  we  may 
walk  in  newness  of  life."  (/?)  Therefore  the  apostle  says  in 
another  place,  that  "  the  sabbath  was  a  shadow  of  things  to 
come;  but  the  body  is  of  Christ:"  (y)  that  is  the  real  substance 
of  the  truth,  which  he  has  beautifully  explained  in  that  passage. 
This  is  contained  not  in  one  day  but  in  the  whole  course  of  our 
life,  till  being  wholly  dead  to  ourselves,  we  be  filled  with  the 
life  of  God.  Christians  therefore  ought  to  depart  from  all 
superstitious  observance  of  days. 

XXXII.  As  the  two  latter  causes  however  ought  not  to  be 
numbered  among  the  ancient  shadows,  but  are  equally  suitable 
to  all  ages;  though  the  sabbath  is  abrogated,  yet  it  is  still 
customary  among  us,  to  assemble  on  stated  days  for  hearing 

(0)  Isaiah  Iviw.  13,  14.  (/»)  Rom.  vi.  4,  &c,  (?)  Col.  ii.  16,  17. 


422  .      INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

the  word,  for  breaking  the  mystic  bread,  and  for  public 
prayers;  and  also  to  allow  servants  and  labourers  a  remission 
from  their  labour.  That  in  commanding  the  sabbath,  the  Lord 
had  regard  to  both  these  things,  cannot  be  doubted.  The  first 
is  abundantly  confirmed  even  by  the  practice  of  the  Jews. 
The  second  is  proved  by  Moses,  in  Deuteronomy,  in  these 
words,  "  that  thy  man-servant  and  thy  maid-servant  may  rest 
as  well  as  thou.  And  remember  that  thou  wast  a  servant  in 
the  land  of  Egypt."  (r)  Also,  in  Exodus:  "  that  thine  ox  and 
thine  ass  may  rest,  and  the  son  of  thy  hand-maid,  and  the 
stranger  may  be  refreshed."  (s)  Who  can  deny  that  both 
these  things  are  as  proper  for  us  as  for  the  Jews?  Assemblies 
of  the  Church  are  enjoined  in  the  Divine  word,  and  the  ne- 
cessity of  them  is  sufficiently  known  even  from  the  experience 
of  life.  Unless  there  be  stated  days  appointed  for  them,  how 
can  they  be  held?  According  to  the  direction  of  the  apostle, 
u  all  things"  are  to  "  be  done  decently  and  in  order"  among 
us.  (?)  But  so  far  is  it  from  being  possible  to  preserve  order 
and  decorum  without  this  regulation,  that  if  it  were  abolished 
the  Church  would  be  in  imminent  danger  of  immediate  convul- 
sion and  ruin.  But  if  we  feel  the  same  necessity,  to  relieve 
which  the  Lord  enjoined  the  sabbath  upon  the  Jews,  let  no 
one  plead  that  it  does  not  belong  to  us.  For  our  most  provi- 
dent and  indulgent  Father  hath  been  no  less  attentive  to  pro- 
vide for  our  necessity  than  for  that  of  the  Jews.  But  why,  it  may 
be  asked,  do  we  not  rather  assemble  on  every  day,  that  so  all 
distinction  of  days  may  be  removed?  I  sincerely  wish  that 
this  were  practised;  and  truly  spiritual  wisdom  would  be  well 
worthy  of  some  portion  of  time  being  daily  allotted  to  it:  but 
if  the  infirmity  of  many  persons  will  not  admit  of  daily  assem- 
blies, and  charity  does  not  permit  us  to  require  more  of  them; 
why  should  we  not  obey  the  rule,  which  we  have  imposed  upon 
us  by  the  will  of  God? 

XXXIII.  I  am  obliged  to  be  rather  more  diffuse  on  this 
point,  because  in  the  present  age  some  unquiet  spirits  have 
been  raising  noisy  contentions  respecting  the  Lord's  day.  They 
complain  that  Christians  are  tinctured  with  Judaism,  because 

(r)  Dcut.  v.  14,  15.  (s)  Exod.  xxiii.  12.  (0  1  COP.  xiv.  40. 


CHAP,  vui.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  423 

they  retain  any  observance  of  days.  But  I  reply,  that  the 
Lord's  day  is  not  observed  by  us  upon  the  principles  of  Ju- 
daism; because  in  this  respect  the  difference  between  us  and 
the  Jews  is  very  great.  For  we  celebrate  it  not  with  scrupu- 
lous rigour  as  a  ceremony  which  we  conceive  to  be  a  figure  of 
some  spiritual  mystery;  but  only  use  it  as  a  remedy  necessary 
to  the  preservation  of  order  in  the  Church.  But  they  say,  Paul 
teaches  that  those  who  observe  it  are  not  to  be  accounted 
Christians,  because  it  is  a  shadow  of  something  future,  (v) 
Therefore  he  is  "  afraid  lest"  he  has  "  bestowed"  on  the  Ga- 
latians  "  labour  in  vain,"  because  they  continued  to  "  ob- 
serve days."  (zt>)  And  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  he  asserts 
him  to  be  "  weak  in  the  faith,"  who  "  esteemeth  one  day  above 
another."  (#)  But  who,  these  furious  zealots  only  excepted, 
does  not  see  what  observance  the  apostle  intends?  For  they 
did  not  observe  them  for  the  sake  of  political  and  ecclesiastical 
order;  but  because  they  retained  them  as  shadows  of  spiritual 
things,  they  were  guilty  of  obscuring  the  glory  of  Christ  and 
the  light  of  the  Gospel.  They  did  not  therefore  rest  from  their 
manual  labours,  as  from  employments  which  would  divert  them 
from  sacred  studies  and  meditations;  but  from  a  principle  of 
superstition,  imagining  their  cessation  from  labour  to  be  still 
an  expression  of  reverence  for  the  mysteries  formerly  repre- 
sented by  it.  This  preposterous  distinction  of  days  theapostle 
strenuously  opposes;  and  not  that  legitimate  difference  vrhich 
promotes  the  peace  of  the  Christian  Church.  For  in  the 
churches  which  he  founded,  the  sabbath  was  retained  for  this 
purpose.  He  prescribes  the  same  day  to  the  Corinthians,  for 
making  collections  for  the  relief  of  the  brethren  at  Jerusalem. 
If  superstition  be  an  object  of  fear,  there  was  more  danger  in 
the  feasts  of  the  Jews,  than  in  the  Lord's  days  now  observed 
by  Christians.  Now  whereas  it  was  expedient  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  superstition,  the  day  which  the  Jews  kept  holy  was 
abolished;  and  it  being  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  de- 
corum, order,  and  peace  in  the  Christian  Church,  another  day 
was  appointed  for  the  same  use. 

XXXIV.  However,  the  ancients  have  not  without  sufficient 

GO  CoLii.  16,  IT.        O)  Gal.  iy.  10,  II.          CO  Rom.  xiv.  5 


424  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

reason  substituted  what  we  call  the  Lord's  day  in  the  room  of 
the  sabbath.  For  since  the  resurrection  of  the  Lord  is  the 
end  and  consummation  of  that  true  rest,  which  was  adumbrated 
by  the  ancient  sabbath;  the  same  day,  which  put  an  end  to 
the  shadows,  admonishes  Christians  not  to  adhere  to  a  shadowy 
ceremony.  Yet  I  do  not  lay  so  much  stress  on  the  septenary 
number,  that  I  would  oblige  the  Church  to  an  invariable  ad- 
herence to  it;  nor  will  I  condemn  those  churches,  which  have 
other  solemn  days  for  their  assemblies,  provided  they  keep  at 
a  distance  from  superstition.  And  this  will  be  the  case,  if  they 
be  only  designed  for  the  observance  of  discipline  and  well  re- 
gulated order.  Let  us  sum  up  the  whole  in  the  following 
manner.  As  the  truth  was  delivered  to  the  Jews  under  a  figure, 
so  it  is  given  to  us  without  any  shadows;  first,  in  order  that 
during  our  whole  life  we  should  meditate  on  a  perpetual  rest 
from  our  own  works,  that  the  Lord  may  operate  within  us  by 
his  Spirit;  secondly,  that  every  man,  whenever  he  has  leisure, 
should  diligently  exercise  himself  in  private  in  pious  reflections 
on  the  works  of  God,  and  also  that  we  should  at  the  same  time 
observe  the  legitimate  order  of  the  Church,  appointed  for  the 
hearing  of  the  word,  for  the  administration  of  the  sacraments, 
and  for  public  prayer;  thirdly,  that  we  should  not  unkindly 
oppress  those  who  are  subject  to  us.  Thus  vanish  all  the 
dreams  of  false  prophets,  who  in  past  ages  have  infected  the 
people  with  a  Jewish  notion,  affirming  that  nothing  but  the 
ceremonial  part  of  this  commandment,  which  according  to 
them  is  the  appointment  of  the  seventh  day,  has  been  abro- 
gated, but  that  the  moral  part  of  it,  that  is  the  observance  of 
one  day  in  seven,  still  remains.  But  this  is  only  changing  the 
day  in  contempt  of  the  Jews,  while  they  retain  the  same 
opinion  of  the  holiness  of  a  day;  for  on  this  principle  the  same 
mysterious  signification  would  still  be  attributed  to  particular 
days,  which  they  formerly  obtained  among  the  Jews.  And 
indeed  we  see  what  advantages  have  arisen  from  such  a  senti- 
ment. For  those  who  adhere  to  it,  far  exc,eed  the  Jews  in  a 
gross,  carnal,  and  superstitious  observance  of  the  sabbath;  so 
that  the  reproofs,  which  we  find  in  Isaiah,  are  equally  as  appli- 
cable to  them  in  the  present  age,  as  to  those  whom  the  pro- 
phet reproved  in  his  time.  But  the  principal  thing  to  be 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

remembered  is  the  general  doctrine;  that,  lest  religion  decay  or 
languish  among  us,  sacred  assemblies  ought  diligently  to  be 
held,  and  that  we  ought  to  use  those  external  means  which  are 
adapted  to  support  the  worship  of  God. 

THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 

HONOUR  THY  FATHER  AND  THY  MOTHER:  THAT  THY  DAYS 
MAY  BE  LONG  UPON  THE  LAND  WHICH  THE  LORD  THY  GoD 
GIVETH  THEE. 

XXXV.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  since  the  Lord 
God  desires  the  preservation  of  the  order  he  has  appointed, 
the  degrees  of  pre-eminence  fixed  by  him  ought  to  be  in- 
violably preserved.  The  sum  of  it  therefore  will  be,  that  we 
should  reverence  them,  whom  God  hath  exalted  to  any  autho- 
rity over  us,  and  should  render  them  honour,  obedience,  and 
gratitude.  Whence  follows  a  prohibition  to  derogate  from 
their  dignity  by  contempt,  obstinacy,  or  ingratitude.  For  in 
the  Scripture  the  word  "honour"  has  an  extensive  significa- 
tion; as  when  the  apostle  directs  that  "the  elders  who  rule 
well  be  counted  worthy  of  double  honour,"  (*/)  he  means  not 
only  that  they  are  entitled  to  reverence;  but  likewise  such  a 
remuneration  as  their  ministry  deserves.  But  as  this  precept 
which  enjoins  subjection  to  superiors  is  exceedingly  repugnant 
to  the  depravity  of  human  nature,  whose  ardent  desire  of  ex- 
altation will  scarcely  admit  of  obedience,  it  has  therefore  pro- 
posed as  an  example  that  kind  of  superiority  which  is  naturally 
most  amiable  and  least  invidious;  because  that  might  the  more 
easily  mollify  and  incline  our  minds  to  a  habit  of  submission. 
By  that  subjection  therefore  which  is  most  easy  to  be  borne 
the  Lord  accustoms  us  by  degrees  to  every  kind  of  legitimate 
subjection;  because  the  reason  of  all  is  the  same.  For  to  those, 
to  whom  he  gives  any  pre-eminence,  he  communicates  his 
own  authority,  as  far  as  is  necessary  for  the  preservation  of 
that  pre-eminence.  The  titles  of  Father,  God,  and  Lord, 
are  so  eminently  applicable  to  him,  that  whenever  we  hear 
either  of  them  mentioned,  our  minds  cannot  but  be  strongly 

(jOlTim.v.  17. 
VOL.  I.  3  H 


426  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

affected  with  a  sense  of  his  majesty.  Those  therefore  on  whom 
he  bestows  these  titles,  he  illuminates  with  a  ray  of  his  splen- 
dour, to  render  them  all  honourable  in  their  respective  stations. 
Thus  in  a  father  we  ought  to  recognise  something  divine; 
for  it  is  not  without  reason  that  he  bears  one  of  the  titles  of 
the  Deity.  Our  Prince,  or  our  Lord,  enjoys  an  honour  some- 
what similar  to  that  which  is  given  to  God. 

XXXVI.  Wherefore  it  ought  not  to  be  doubted  that  God 
here  lays  down  a  universal  rule  for  our  conduct;  namely, 
that  to  every  one,  whom  we  know  to  be  placed  in  authority 
over  us  by  his  appointment,  we  should  render  reverence,  obe- 
dience, gratitude,  and  all  the  other  services  in  our  power.  Nor 
does  it  make  any  difference,  whether  they  are  worthy  of  this 
honour,  or  not.  For  whatever  be  their  characters,  yet  it  is 
not  without  the  appointment  of  the  Divine  providence,  that 
they  have  attained  that  station,  on  account  of  which  the 
supreme  Legislator  has  commanded  them  to  be  honoured.  He 
has  particularly  enjoined  reverence  to  our  parents,  who  have- 
brought  us  into  this  life;  which  nature  itself  ought  to  teach  us. 
For  those  who  violate  the  parental  authority  by  contempt  or 
rebellion,  are  not  men  but  monsters.  Therefore  the  Lord  com- 
mands all  those,  who  are  disobedient  to  their  parents,  to  be 
put  to  death,  as  having  rendered  themselves  unworthy  to  en- 
joy the  light,  by  their  disregard  of  those  by  whose  means  they 
were  introduced  to  it.  And  various  appendices  to  the  law 
evince  the  truth  of  our  observation,  that  the  honour  here  in- 
tended consists  in  reverence,  obedience,  and  gratitude.  The 
first  the  Lord  confirms,  when  he  commands  him  to  be  slain 
who  has  cursed  his  father  or  mother;  (2)  for  in  that  case  he 
punishes  contempt.  He  confirms  the  second,  when  he  de- 
nounces the  punishment  of  death  against  disobedient  and  re- 
bellious children,  (a)  The  third  is  supported  by  Christ,  who 
says,  "  God  commanded,  saying,  Honour  thy  father  and 
mother:"  and,  "  He  that  curseth  father  or  mother,  let  him  die 
the  death.  But  ye  say,  Whosoever  shall  say  to  his  father  or  his 
mother,  It  is  a  gift,  by  whatsoever  thou  mightest  be  profited  by 
me;  and  honour  not  his  father  or  his  mother,  he  shall  be  free. 

(:")  Exod.  xxi.  1~.  («)  Deut.  xxj.  18—21. 


CHAP.  viii.J      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  42r 

Thus  have  ye  made  the  commandment  of  God  of  none  effect 
by  your  tradition."  (£)  And  whenever  Paul  mentions  this 
commandment,  he  explains  it  as  a  requisition  of  obedience,  (c) 
XXXVII.  In  order  to  recommend  it,  a  promise  is  annexed, 
which  is  a  further  intimation  how  acceptable  to  God  that 
submission  is  which  is  here  enjoined.  Paul  uses  the  same 
stimulus  to  arouse  our  inattention,  when  he  says,  "This  is 
the  first  commandment  with  promise."  For  the  preceding 
promise,  in  the  first  table,  was  not  particularly  confined  to  one 
commandment,  but  extended  to  the  whole  law.  Now  the  true 
explanation  of  this  promise  is,  that  the  Lord  spake  particularly 
to  the  Israelites  concerning  the  land  which  he  had  promised 
them  as  an  inheritance.  If  the  possession  of  that  land  therefore 
was  a  pledge  of  the  Divine  goodness,  we  need  not  wonder, 
if  it  was  the  Lord's  will  to  manifest  his  favour  by  bestowing 
length  of  life,  in  order  to  prolong  the  enjoyment  of  the  blessing 
conferred  by  him.  The  meaning  of  it  therefore  is,  Honour 
thy  father  and  thy  mother,  that  through  the  space  of  a  long 
life  thou  mayest  enjoy  the  possession  of  the  land,  which  will 
be  to  thee  a  testimony  of  my  favour.  But,  as  the  whole  earth 
is  blessed  to  the  faithful,  we  justly  place  the  present  life  among 
the  blessings  we  receive  from  God.  Wherefore  this  promise 
belongs  likewise  to  us,  inasmuch  as  the  continuance  of  the 
present  life  affords  us  a  proof  of  the  Divine  benevolence.  For 
neither  is  it  promised  to  us,  nor  was  it  promised  to  the  Jews, 
as  though  it  contained  any  blessedness  in  itself;  but  because  to 
the  pious  it  is  generally  a  token  of  the  Divine  favour.  There- 
fore if  a  son,  that  is  obedient  to  his  parents,  happen  to  be 
removed  out  of  life  before  the  age  of  maturity,  which  is  a  case 
of  frequent  occurrence,  the  Lord  nevertheless  perseveres  with 
as  much  punctuality  in  the  completion  of  his  promise,  as  if  he 
were  to  reward  a  person  with  a  hundred  acres  of  land  to 
whom  he  had  only  promised  one.  The  whole  consists  in  this: 
We  should  consider  that  long  life  is  promised  to  us  so  far  as 
it  is  the  blessing  of  God;  but  that  it  is  a  blessing,  only  as  it 
is  a  proof  of  the  favour  of  God,  which  he  infinitely  more  richly 

(6)  Matt.  xv.  4—6.  (c)  Eph.  vi.  1.    Col.  iii.  20. 


428  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  u. 

and  substantially  testifies  and  actually  demonstrates  to  his  ser- 
vants in  their  death. 

XXXVIII.  Moreover,  when  the  Lord  promises  the  blessing 
of  the  present  life  to  those  children  who  honour  their  parents 
with  proper  reverence,  he  at  the  same  time  implies  that  a  cer- 
tain curse  impends  over  all  those  who  are  disobedient  and  per- 
verse.   And  that  it  might  not  fail  of  being  executed,  he  pro- 
nounces them  in  his  law  to  be  liable  to  the  sentence  of  death, 
and  commands  that  punishment  to  be  inflicted  on  them.     If 
they  escape  that,  he  punishes  them  himself  in  some  other  way. 
For  we  see  what  great  numbers  of  persons  of  this  character 
fall  in  battles  and  in  private  quarrels;  others  are  tormented  in 
unusual  ways;  and  almost  all  of  them  are  proofs  of  the  truth 
of  this  threatening.  But  if  any  arrive  at  an  extreme  age,  being 
deprived  of  the  Divine  blessing,  they  only  languish  in  misery 
in  this  life,  and  are  reserved  to  greater  punishments  hereafter; 
and  consequently  they  are  far  from   participating  the  blessing 
promised  to  dutiful  children.  But  it  must  be  remarked  by  the 
way,  that  we  are  commanded  to  obey  them  only  "  in  the  Lord;" 
and  this  is  evident  from  the  foundation  before  laid;  for  they 
preside  in  that  station  to  which  the  Lord  hath  exalted  them 
by  communicating  to  them  a  portion  of  his  honour.  Where- 
fore the  submission  exercised  towards  them  ought  to  be  a  step 
towards   honouring  the  supreme  Father.     Therefore  if  they 
instigate  us  to  any  transgression  of  the  law,  we  may  justly  con- 
sider them    not  as  parents  but  as  strangers,  who  attempt  to 
seduce  us  from  obedience  to  our  real  Father.    The  same  ob- 
servation is  applicable  to  princes,  lords,  and  superiors  of  every 
description.  For  it  is  infamous  and  absurd,  that  their  eminence 
should  avail    to    depreciate    the  pre-eminence    of  God,  upon 
which  it  depends,  and  to  which  it  ought  to  conduct  us. 

THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 

THOU  SHALT  NOT  KlLL. 

XXXIX.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  since  God   hath 
connected  mankind  together  in   a  kind  of  unity,  every  man 
ought  to  consider  himself  as  charged  with  the  safety  of  all.  In 


CHAP,  vni.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  42% 

short  then,  all  violence  and  injustice,  and  every  kind  of  mis- 
chief, which  may  injure  the  body  of  our  neighbour,  are  for- 
bidden to  us.  And  therefore  we  are  enjoined,  if  it  be  in  our 
power,  to  assist  in  protecting  the  lives  of  our  neighbours,  to 
exert  ourselves  with  fidelity  for  this  purpose;  to  procure  those 
things  which  conduce  to  their  tranquillity;  to  be  vigilant  in 
shielding  them  from  injuries;  and  in  cases  of  danger  to  afford 
them  our  assistance.  If  we  remember  that  this  is  the  language  of 
the  Divine  Legislator,  wet  should  consider  at  the  same  time  that 
he  intends  this  rule  to  govern  the  soul.  For  it  were  ridiculous, 
that  he  who  beholds  the  thoughts  of  the  heart,  and  principally 
insists  on  them,  should  content  himself  with  forming  the  body 
to  true  righteousness.  Mental  homicide  therefore  is  likewise 
prohibited,  and  an  internal  disposition  to  preserve  the  life  of 
our  brother  is  commanded  in  this  law.  The  hand  indeed 
accomplishes  the  homicide,  but  it  is  conceived  by  the  mind 
under  the  influence  of  anger  and  hatred.  Examine  whether 
you  can  be  angry  with  your  brother,  without  being  inflamed 
with  a  desire  of  doing  him  some  injury.  If  you  cannot  be 
angry  with  him,  then  you  cannot  hate  him,  for  hatred  is  no- 
thing more  than  inveterate  anger.  However  you  may  dis- 
semble and  endeavour  to  extricate  yourself  by  vain  subter- 
fuges, whenever  there  is  either  anger  or  hatred,  there  is  also  a 
disposition  to  do  injury.  If  you  persist  in  your  evasions,  it  is 
already  pronounced  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  "  Whosoever 
hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer."  (</)  It  is  declared  by  the 
Lord  Christ,  "  that  whosoever  is  angry  with  his  brother  with- 
out a  cause  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judgment:  and  whoso- 
ever shall  say  to  his  brother,  Raca,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the 
council:  but  whosoever  shall  say,  Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger 
of  hell  fire."  (i) 

XL.  Now  the  Scripture  states  two  reasons  on  which  this 
precept  is  founded;  the  first,  that  man  is  the  image  of  God; 
the  second,  that  he  is  our  own  flesh.  Wherefore  unless  we 
would  violate  the  image  of  God,  we  ought  to  hold  the  personal 
safety  of  our  neighbour  inviolably  sacred;  and  unless  we  would 
divest  ourselves  of  humanity,  we  ought  to  cherish  our  own 

John  iii.  15.  (e)  Matt  v.  22. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

flesh.  The  motives  which  are  derived  from  the  redemption 
and  grace  of  Christ  will  be  treated  in  another  place.  These 
two  characters  which  are  inseparable  from  the  nature  of  man, 
God  requires  us  to  consider  as  motives  to  our  exertions  for  his 
security;  so  that  we  may  reverence  his  image  impressed  on  him, 
and  shew  an  affectionate  regard  for  our  own  flesh.  That  person 
therefore  is  not  innocent  of  the  crime  of  murder,  who  has  merely 
restrained  himself  from  the  effusion  of  blood.  If  you  per- 
petrate, if  you  attempt,  if  you  only  conceive  in  your  mind  any 
thing  inimical  to  the  safety  of  another,  you  stand  guilty  of 
murder.  Unless  you  also  endeavour  to  defend  it  to  the  utmost 
of  your  ability  and  opportunity,  you  are  guilty  of  the  same  in- 
human transgression  of  the  law.  But  if  so  much  concern  be 
discovered  for  the  safety  of  the  body,  we  may  conclude,  how 
much  care  and  attention  should  be  devoted  to  the  safety  of  the 
soul,  which  in  the  sight  of  God  is  of  infinitely  superior  value. 

THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

THOU    SHA.LT   NOT    COMMIT    ADULTERY. 

XLI.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  because  God  loves 
chastity  and  purity,  we  ought  to  depart  from  all  uncleanness. 
The  sum  of  it  therefore  is,  that  we  ought  not  to  be  polluted  by 
any  carnal  impurity,  or  libidinous  intemperance.  To  this  pro- 
hibition corresponds  the  affirmative  injunction,  that  every  part 
of  our  lives  ought  to  be  regulated  by  chastity  and  continence. 
But  he  expressly  forbids  adultery,  to  which  all  incontinence 
tends;  in  order  that  by  the  turpitude  of  that  which  is  very 
gross  and  palpable,  being  an  infamous  pollution  of  the  body, 
he  may  lead  us  to  abominate  every  unlawful  passion.  Since 
man  was  created  in  such  a  state  as  not  to  live  a  solitary  life, 
but  to  be  united  to  a  help-meet;  and  moreover  since  the  curse 
of  sin  has  increased  this  necessity,  the  Lord  hath  afforded  us 
ample  assistance  in  this  case  by  the  institution  of  marriage; 
a  connection,  which  he  huth  not  only  originated  by  his  autho- 
rity, but  also  sanctified  by  his  blessing.  Whence  it  appears, 
that  every  other  union,  but  that  of  marriage,  is  cursed  in  his 
sight;  and  that  the  conjugal  union  itself  is  appointed  as  a  re- 
medy for  our  necessity,  that  we  may  not  break  out  into  unre- 


CHAP,  vni.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  431 

strained  licentiousness.  Let  us  not  flatter  ourselves,  therefore, 
when  we  hear  that  there  can  be  no  union  of  male  and  female, 
except  in  marriage,  without  the  curse  of  God. 

XLII.  Now  since  the  original  constitution  of  human  nature, 
and  the  violence  of  the  passions  consequent  upon  the  fall,  have 
rendered  a  union  of  the  sexes  doubly  necessary,  except  to 
those  whom  God  hath  exempted  from  that  necessity  by  pe- 
culiar grace,  let  every  one  carefully  examine  what  is  given 
to  him.  Virginity,  I  acknowledge,  is  a  virtue  not  to  be 
despised.  But  as  this  is  denied  to  some,  and  to  others  is 
granted  only  for  a  season,  let  those  who  are  troubled  with 
incontinence,  and  cannot  succeed  in  resisting  it,  avail  them- 
selves of  the  help  of  marriage,  that  they  may  preserve  their 
chastity  according  to  the  degree  of  their  calling.  For  persons 
who  "cannot  receive  this  saying,"  (y)  if  they  do  not  assist 
their  frailty  by  the  remedy  offered  and  granted  to  them,  oppose 
God  and  resist  his  ordinance.  Here  let  no  one  object,  as 
many  do  in  the  present  day,  that  with  the  help  of  God  he  can 
do  all  things.  For  the  assistance  of  God  is  granted  only  to 
them  who  walk  in  his  ways,  that  is,  in  their  calling;  which  is 
deserted  by  all  those  who  neglect  the  means  which  God  hath 
afforded  them,  and  strive  to  overcome  their  necessities  by  vain 
presumption.  That  continence  is  a  peculiar  gift  of  God,  and 
of  that  kind  which  is  not  imparted  promiscuously,  or  to  the 
whole  body  of  the  Church,  but  only  conferred  on  a  few  of  its 
members,  is  affirmed  by  our  Lord.  For  he  mentions  a  cer- 
tain class  of  men  who  "have  made  themselves  eunuchs  for 
the  kingdom  of  heaven's  sake,"  (£•)  that  is,  that  they  might 
be  mofe  at  liberty  to  devote  their  attention  to  the  affairs  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  But  that  no  one  might  suppose  this 
to  be  in  the  power  of  man,  he  had  already  declared  that  '  ;J1 
men  cannot  receive  this  saying,  save  they  to  whom  it  is  given." 
And  he  concludes,  "  He  that  is  able  to  receive  it,  let  him  re- 
ceive it."  Paul  is  still  more  explicit,  when  he  says,  that  "  every 
man  hath  his  proper  gift  of  God,  one  after  this  manner,  and 
another  after  that."  (A) 

XLIIL  Since  we  are  so  expressly  apprised  that  it  is  not 

C/)  Man.  six.  11.  (*)  Matt.  xix.  15,  (/•)  1  Cor.  vii.  7. 


432  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

in  the  power  of  every  one  to  preserve  chastity  in  celibacy, 
even  with  the  most  strenuous  efforts  for  that  purpose,  and 
that  it  is  a  peculiar  grace,  which  the  Lord  confers  only  on 
particular  persons;  do  we  not  resist  God,  and  strive  against  the 
nature  instituted  by  him,  unless  we  accommodate  our  manner 
of  life  to  the  measure  of  our  ability?  In  this  commandment 
the  Lord  prohibits  adultery:  therefore  he  requires  of  us  purity 
and  chastity.  The  only  way  of  preserving  this  is,  that  every 
one  should  measure  himself  by  his  own  capacity.  Let  no  one 
rashly  despise  marriage  as  a  thing  useless  or  unnecessary  to 
him;  let  no  one  prefer  celibacy,  unless  he  can  be  happy  with- 
out a  wife.  And  in  that  state  let  him  not  consult  his  carnal 
tranquillity  or  advantage,  but  only  that,  being  exempted  from 
this  restraint,  he  may  be  the  more  prompt  and  ready  for  all 
the  duties  of  piety.  Moreover,  as  this  benefit  is  conferred  upon 
many  persons  only  for  a  season,  let  even-  one  refrain  from 
marriage  as  long  as  he  shall  be  capable  of  supporting  a  life  of 
celibacy.  When  his  strength  fails  to  overcome  his  passions, 
let  him  consider  that  the  Lord  has  laid  him  under  a  necessity 
of  marrying.  This  is  evident  from  the  direction  of  the  apostle: 
"  To  avoid  fornication,  let  every  man  have  his  own  wife,  and 
let  every  woman  have  her  own  husband."  Again,  "  If  they 
cannot  contain,  let  them  marry."  (z)  Here,  in  the  first  place, 
he  signifies  that  the  majority  of  men  are  subject  to  the  vice  of 
incontinence;  in  the  next  place,  of  those  who  are  subject  to 
it,  he  makes  no  exception,  but  enjoins  them  all  to  have  re- 
course to  that  sole  remedy  which  obviates  unchastity.  Those 
who  are  incontinent  therefore,  if  they  neglect  this  method  of 
curing  their  infirmity,  are  guilty  of  sin,  in  not  obeying  this 
injunction  of  the  apostle.  And  let  not  him  who  refrains  from 
actual  fornication,  flatter  himself,  as  though  he  could  not  be 
charged  with  unchastity,  while  his  heai't  at  the  same  time  is 
inflamed  with  libidinous  desire.  For  Paul  defines  chastity  to 
consist  in  sanctity  of  mind  connected  with  purity  of  body. 
"The  unmarried  woman,"  he  says,  "careth  for  the  things  of 
the  Lord,  that  she  may  be  holy  both  in  body  and  in  spirit."  (>£) 
Therefore  when  he  gives  a  reason  to  confirm  the  preceding 

(«)  1  Cor.  vii.  2,  9.  (*)  1  Cor.  vii.  34. 


CHAP,  vin.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  433 

injunction,  he  does  not  content  himself  with  saying  that  it  is 
better  for  a  man  to  marry  than  to  pollute  himself  with  the 
society  of  a  harlot,  but  affirms  that  "  it  is  better  to  marry  than 
to  burn."  (/) 

XLIV.  Now  if  married  persons  are  satisfied  that  their 
society  is  attended  with  the  blessing  of  the  Lord,  they  are 
thereby  admonished  that  it  must  not  be  contaminated  by  libi- 
dinous and  dissolute  intemperance.  For  if  the  honour  of  mar- 
riage conceals  the  shame  of  incontinence,  it  ought  not  on  that 
account  to  be  made  an  incitement  to  it.  Wherefore  let  it  not 
be  supposed  by  married  persons  that  all  things  are  lawful  to 
them.  Every  man  should  observe  sobriety  towards  his  wife, 
and  every  wife  reciprocally  towards  her  husband;  conducting 
themselves  in  such  a  manner  as  to  do  nothing  unbecoming  the 
decorum  and  temperance  of  marriage.  For  thus  ought  mar- 
riage contracted  in  the  Lord  to  be  regulated  by  moderation 
and  modesty,  and  not  to  break  out  into  the  vilest  lasciviousness. 
Such  sensuality  has  been  stigmatised  by  Ambrose  with  a  severe 
but  not  unmerited  censure,  when  he  calls  those  who  in  their 
conjugal  intercourse  have  no  regard  to  modesty  or  decorum, 
the  adulterers  of  their  own  wives.  Lastly,  let  us  consider  who 
the  Legislator  is  by  whom  adultery  is  here  condemned.  It  is 
no  other  than  he  who  ought  to  have  the  entire  possession  of 
us,  and  justly  requires  the  whole  of  our  spirit,  soul  and  body. 
Therefore  when  he  prohibits  us  from  committing  adultery,  he 
at  the  same  time  forbids  us,  either  by  lasciviously  ornamenting 
our  persons,  or  by  obscene  gesticulations,  or  by  impure  expres- 
sions, insidiously  to  attack  the  chastity  of  others.  For  there 
is  much  reason  in  the  address  of  Archelaus  to  a  young  man 
clothed  in  an  immoderately  effeminate  and  delicate  manner, 
that  it  was  immaterial  in  what  part  he  was  immodest,  with 
respect  to  God  who  abominates  all  contamination,  in  whatever 
part  it  may  discover  itself,  either  of  soul  or  of  body.  And  that 
there  may  be  no  doubt  on  the  subject,  let  us  remember  that 
God  here  recommends  chastity.  If  the  Lord  requires  chastity 
of  us,  he  condemns  every  thing  contrary  to  it.  Wherefore,  if 
we  aspire  to  obedience,  neither  let  our  mind  internally  burn 

'0  *  Cor.  vii.  9- 

VOL.  I.  3  I 


434  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

with  deprav«d  concupiscence,  nor  let  our  eyes  wanton  into 
corrupt  affections,  nor  let  our  body  be  adorned  for  purposes  of 
seduction,  nor  let  our  tongue  with  impure  speeches  allure  our 
mind  to  similar  thoughts,  nor  let  us  inflame  ourselves  with 
inebriety  or  intemperance.  For  all  these  vices  are  stains,  by 
which  the  purity  of  chastity  is  defiled. 

THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 

THOU  SHALT  NOT  STEAL. 

XLV.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that,  as  injustice  is  an 
abomination  to  God,  every  man  may  possess  what  belongs  to 
him.  The  sum  of  it  then  is,  that  we  are  forbidden  to  covet 
the  property  of  others,  and  are  therefore  enjoined  faithfully  to 
use  our  endeavours  to  preserve  to  every  man  what  justly  be- 
longs to  him.  For  we  ought  to  consider,  that  what  a  man 
possesses  has  fallen  to  his  lot,  not  by  a  fortuitous  contingency, 
but  by  the  distribution  of  the  supreme  Lord  of  all;  and  that 
therefore  no  man  can  be  deprived  of  his  possessions  by  crimi- 
nal methods,  without  an  injury  being  done  to  the  Divine  dis- 
penser of  them.  But  the  species  of  theft  are  numerous.  One 
consists  in  violence;  when  the  property  of  any  person  is  plun- 
dered by  force  and  predatory  license.  Another  consists  in 
malicious  imposture;  when  it  is  taken  away  in  a  fraudulent 
Bjanner.  Another  consists  in  more  secret  cunning;  where  any 
one  is  deprived  of  his  property  under  the  mask  of  justice. 
Another  consists  in  flatteries;  where  we  are  cheated  under  the 
pretence  of  a  donation.  But  not  to  dwell  too  long  on  the 
recital  of  the  different  species  of  theft,  let  us  remember,  that  all 
artifices  by  which  the  possessions  and  wealth  of  our  neighbours 
are  transferred  to  us,  whenever  they  deviate  from  sincere  love 
into  a  desire  of  deceiving,  or  doing  any  kind  of  injury,  are  to 
be  esteemed  acts  of  theft.  This  is  the  only  view  in  which 
God  considers  them,  even  though  the  property  may  be  gained 
by  a  suit  at  law.  For  he  sees  the  tedious  manoeuvres  with 
which  the  designing  man  begins  to  decoy  his  more  simple 
neighbour,  till  at  length  he  entangles  him  in  his  snares.  He 
sees  the  cruel  and  inhuman  laws,  by  which  the  more  powerful 
man  oppresses  and  ruins  him  that  is  weaker.  He  sees  the  baits 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  435 

with  which  the  more  crafty  trepan  the  imprudent.  All  which 
things  are  concealed  from  the  judgment  of  man,  nor  ever  come 
to  his  knowledge.  And  this  kind  of  injury  relates  not  only  to 
money,  or  to  goods,  or  to  lands,  but  to  whatever  each  indivi- 
dual is  justly  entitled  to;  for  we  defraud  our  neighbours  of 
their  property,  if  we  deny  them  those  kind  offices,  which  it  is 
our  duty  to  perform  to  them.  If  an  idle  agent  or  steward  de- 
vour the  substance  of  his  master,  and  be  inattentive  to  the 
care  of  his  domestic  affairs,  if  he  either  improperly  waste  or 
squander  with  a  luxurious  profusion  the  property  intrusted  to 
him;  if  a  servant  deride  his  master,  if  he  divulge  his  secrets, 
if  by  any  means  he  betray  either  his  life  or  his  property;  and 
if  on  the  other  hand  a  master  inhumanly  oppress  his  family, 
God  holds  him  guilty  of  theft.  For  the  property  of  others  is 
withheld  and  misapplied  by  him,  who  does  not  perform  to- 
wards them  those  offices  which  the  duty  of  his  situation  requires 
of  him. 

XLVI.  We  shall  rightly  obey  this  commandment  therefore, 
if,  contented  with  our  own  lot,  we  seek  no  gain  but  in  an  honest 
and  lawful  way;  if  we  neither  desire  to  enrich  ourselves  by 
injustice,  nor  attempt  to  ruin  the  fortune  of  our  neighbour,  in 
order  to  increase  our  own;  if  we  do  not  labour  to  accumulate 
wealth  by  cruelty  and  at  the  expense  of  the  blood  of  others; 
if  we  do  not  greedily  scrape  together  from  every  quarter,  re- 
gardless of  right  or  wrong,  whatever  may  conduce  to  satiate 
our  avarice  or  support  our  prodigality:  on  the  contrary,  it 
should  be  our  constant  aim,  as  far  as  possible,  faithfully  to  assist 
all  by  our  advice  and  our  property  in  preserving  what  belongs 
to  them;  but  if  we  are  concerned  with  perfidious  and  fallacious 
men,  let  us  be  prepared  rather  to  recede  a  little  from  our  just 
right  than  to  contend  with  them.  Moreover,  let  us  communi- 
cate to  the  necessities,  and  according  to  our  ability  alleviate  the 
poverty  of  those,  whom  we  perceive  to  be  pressed  by  any  em- 
barrassment of  their  circumstances.  Lastly,  let  every  man 
examine  what  obligations  his  duty  lays  him  under  to  others, 
and  let  him  faithfully  discharge  the  duties  which  he  owes  them. 
For  this  reason  the  people  should  honour  their  governors,  pa- 
tiently submit  to  their  authority,  obey  their  laws  and  mandates, 
and  resist  nothing,  to  which  they  can  submit  consistently  with 


436  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  xi. 

the  Divine  will.  On  the  other  hand,  let  governors  take  care 
of  their  people,  preserve  the  public  peace,  protect  the  good, 
punish  the  wicked,  and  administer  all  things  in  such  a  manner, 
as  though  they  were  just  about  to  render  an  account  of  their 
office  to  God  the  supreme  Judge.  Let  the  ministers  of 
Churches  faithfully  devote  themselves  to  the  ministry  of  the 
word,  and  let  them  never  adulterate  the  doctrine  of  salvation, 
but  deliver  it  pure  and  uncontaminated  to  the  people  of  God. 
Let  them  teach,  not  only  by  their  doctrine,  but  by  the  example 
of  their  lives;  in  a  word,  let  them  preside  as  good  shepherds 
over  the  sheep.  Let  the  people  on  their  part  receive  them  as 
the  messengers  and  apostles  of  God,  render  to  them  that  honour 
to  which  the  supreme  Master  hath  exalted  them,  and  furnish 
them  with  the  necessaries  of  life.  Let  parents  undertake  the 
support,  government,  and  instruction  of  their  children,  as 
committed  by  God  to  their  care;  nor  let  them  exasperate  their 
minds  and  alienate  their  affections  from  them  by  cruelty,  but 
cherish  and  embrace  them  with  the  lenity  and  indulgence  be- 
coming their  character.  And  that  obedience  is  due  to  them 
from  their  children  has  been  before  observed.  Let  juniors  re- 
vere old  age,  since  the  Lord  hath  designed  that  age  to  be 
honourable.  Let  old  men  by  their  prudence  and  superior 
experience  guide  the  imbecility  of  youth;  not  teasing  them 
with  sharp  and  clamorous  invectives,  but  tempering  severity 
with  mildness  and  affability.  Let  servants  shew  themselves 
obedient  and  diligent  in  the  service  of  their  masters;  and  that 
not  only  in  appearance,  but  from  the  heart,  as  serving  God 
himself.  Neither  let  masters  behave  morosely  and  perversely 
to  their  servants,  harassing  them  with  excessive  asperity,  or 
treating  them  with  contempt;  but  rather  acknowledge  them 
as  their  brethren  and  companions  in  the  service  of  the  heavenly 
Master,  entitled  to  be  regarded  with  mutual  affection,  and  to 
receive  kind  treatment.  In  this  manner,  I  say,  let  every  man 
consider  what  duties  he  owes  to  his  neighbours,  according  to 
the  relations  he  sustains,  and  those  duties  let  him  discharge. 
Moreover,  our  attention  should  always  be  directed  to  the  Le- 
gislator; to  remind  us  that  this  law  is  ordained  for  our  hearts 
as  much  as  for  our  hands,  in  order  that  men  may  study  both  to 
protect  the  property  and  to  promote  the  interests  of  others. 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  437 

THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 

THOU    SHALT    NOT    BEAK    FALSE    WITNESS    AGAINST    THT 
NEIGHBOUR. 

XLVII.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that,  because  God,  who 
is  truth  itself,  execrates  a  lie,  we  ought  to  preserve  the  truth 
without  the  least  disguise.  The  sum  of  it  therefore  is,  that 
we  neither  violate  the  character  of  any  man  either  by  calum- 
nies or  by  false  accusations,  nor  distress  him  in  his  property 
by  a  falsehood,  nor  injure  him  by  detraction  or  impertinence. 
This  prohibition  is  connected  with  an  injunction  to  do  all 
the  service  we  can  to  every  man,  by  affirming  the  truth  for 
the  protection  of  his  reputation  and  his  property.  The  Lord 
seems  to  have  intended  the  following  words  as  an  exposition 
of  this  command:  "  Thou  shalt  not  raise  a  false  report:  put 
not  thine  hand  with  the  wicked  to  be  an  unrighteous  witness.'* 
Again,  "  Keep  thee  far  from  a  false  matter."  (m)  In  another 
place  also  he  not  only  forbids  us  to  practise  backbiting  and 
tale-bearing  among  the  people,  but  prohibits  every  man  from 
deceiving  his  brother;  (n)  for  he  cautions  us  against  both  in 
distinct  commandments.  Indeed  there  is  no  doubt,  but  that, 
as  in  the  preceding  precepts  he  hath  prohibited  cruelty,  im- 
purity, and  avarice,  so  in  this  he  forbids  falsehood;  of  which 
there  are  two  branches,  as  we  have  before  observed.  For 
either  we  transgress  against  the  reputation  of  our  neighbours 
by  malignity  and  perverse  detraction;  or  by  falsehood  and 
sometimes  by  obloquy  we  injure  their  interests.  It  is  imma- 
terial, whether  we  suppose  the  testimony  here  designed  to  be 
solemn  and  judicial,  or  a  common  one,  which  is  delivered  in 
private  conversation.  For  we  must  always  recur  to  this  maxim, 
that  of  each  of  the  separate  kinds  of  vices  one  species  is  pro- 
posed as  an  example,  to  which  the  rest  may  be  referred;  and 
that  in  general,  the  species  selected  is  that  in  which  the  turpi- 
tude of  the  vice  is  most  conspicuous.  It  is  proper  however  to 
extend  it  more  generally  to  calumnies  and  detraction,  by 
which  our  neighbours  are  unjustly  harassed;  because  false- 
hood in  a  forensic  testimony  is  always  attended  with  perjury. 

(m)  Exod.  xxiii.  1,  7.  («)  Lev.  six.  16. 13. 


438  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

But  perjury,  being  a  profanation  and  violation  of  the  name  of 
God,  has  already  been  sufficiently  condemned  in  the  third  com- 
mandment. Wherefore  the  legitimate  observance  of  this  pre- 
cept is,  that  our  tongue,  by  asserting  the  truth,  ought  to  serve 
both  the  reputation  and  the  profit  of  our  neighbours.  The 
equity  of  this  is  self-evident.  For  if  a  good  name  be  more 
precious  than  any  treasures  whatever,  a  man  sustains  as  great 
an  injury  when  he  is  deprived  of  the  integrity  of  his  character, 
as  when  he  is  despoiled  of  his  wealth.  And  in  plundering  his 
substance,  there  is  sometimes  as  much  effected  by  false  testi- 
mony, as  by  the  hands  of  violence. 

XLVIII.  Nevertheless  it  is  wonderful  with  what  supine  se- 
curity this  precept  is  generally  transgressed,  so  that  few  persons 
can  be  found,  who  are  not  notoriously  subject  to  this  malady: 
we  are  so  fascinated  with  the  malignant  pleasure  of  examining 
and  detecting  the  faults  of  others.  Nor  should  we  suppose  it  to 
be  a  sufficient  excuse,  that  in  many  cases  we  cannot  be  charged 
with  falsehood.  For  he  who  forbids  the  character  of  our  bro- 
ther to  be  bespattered  with  falsehood,  wills  also  that  as  far  as 
the  truth  will  permit,  it  be  preserved  immaculate.  For  although 
he  only  guards  it  against  falsehood,  he  thereby  suggests  that  it 
is  committed  to  his  charge.  But  this  should  be  sufficient  to 
induce  us  to  defend  the  fair  character  of  our  neighbours;  that 
God  concerns  himself  in  its  protection.  Wherefore  detractioit 
is  without  doubt  universally  condemned.  Now  by  detraction 
we  ^nean,  not  reproof,  which  is  given  from  a  motive  of  correc- 
tion; not  accusation  or  judicial  denunciation,  by  which  re- 
compense is  demanded  for  an  injury;  nor  public  reprehension, 
which  tends  to  strike  terror  into  other  offenders;  not  a 
discovery  to  them  whose  safety  depends  on  their  being  pre- 
viously warned,  that  they  may  not  be  endangered  through 
ignorance;  but  odious  and  impertinent  crimination,  which 
arises  from  malice,  and  a  violent  propensity  to  detraction. 
This  commandment  also  extends  so  far  as  to  forbid  us  to  affect 
a  pleasantry  tinctured  with  scurrilous  and  bitter  sarcasms, 
severely  lashing  the  faults  of  others  under  the  appearance  of 
sport;  which  is  the  practice  of  some  who  aim  at  the  praise  of 
raillery  to  the  prejudice  of  the  modesty  and  feelings  of  others: 
for  such  wantonness  sometimes  fixes  a  lasting  stigma  on  the 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  439 

characters  of  our  brethren.  Now  if  we  turn  our  eyes  to  the 
Legislator,  whose  proper  right  it  is  to  rule  our  ears  and  our 
minds,  as  much  as  our  tongues;  it  will  certainly  appear  that 
an  avidity  of  hearing  detraction,  and  an  unreasonable  propen- 
sity to  unfavourable  opinions  respecting  others,  are  equally  pro- 
hibited. For  it  would  be  ridiculous  for  any  one  to  suppose  that 
God  hates  slander  in  the  tongue,  and  does  not  reprobate  ma- 
lice in  the  heart.  Wherefore  if  we  possess  the  true  fear 
and  love  of  God,  let  us  make  it  our  study,  that  as  far  as  is 
practicable  and  expedient,  and  consistent  with  charity,  we  de- 
vote neither  our  tongues  nor  our  ears  to  opprobrious  and  ma- 
licious raillery,  nor  inadvertently  attend  to  unfavourable  sus- 
picions; but  that,  putting  fair  constructions  on  every  mart's 
words  and  actions,  we  regulate  our  hearts,  our  ears,  and  our 
tongues  with  a  view  to  preserve  the  reputation  of  all  around  us. 

THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

THOU      SHALT     NOT     COVET     THY     NEIGHBOUR'S    HOUSE,    THOU 
SHALT      NOT       COVET     THY      NEIGHBOUR'S      WlFE,      NOR      Ills, 

MAN-SERVANT,    NOR    HIS    MAID-SERVANT,     NOR     HIS    Ox, 

NOR      HIS      ASS,     NOR     ANY      THING     THAT      IS      THY      NEIGH- 
BOUR'S. 

XLIX.  The  end  of  this  precept  is,  that  since  it  is  the  will 
of  God  that  our  whole  soul  should  be  under  the  influence  of 
love,  every  desire  inconsistent  with  charity  ought  to  be  expelled 
from  our  minds.  The  sum  then  will  be,  that  no  thought 
should  obtrude  itself  upon  us,  which  would  excite  in  our 
minds  any  desire  that  is  noxious  and  tends  to  the  detriment 
of  another.  To  which  corresponds  the  affirmative  precept, 
that  all  our  conceptions,  deliberations,  resolutions,  and  under- 
takings ought  to  be  consistent  with  the  benefit  and  advantage 
of  our  neighbours.  But  here  we  meet  with  what  appears  to  be 
a  great  and  perplexing  difficulty.  For  if  our  previous  asser- 
tions be  true,  that  the  terms  adultery  and  theft  comprehend 
the  licentious  desire,  and  the  injurious  and  criminal  intention; 
this  may  be  thought  to  have  superseded  the  necessity  of  a 
separate  command  being  afterwards  introduced,  forbidding 
us  to  covet  the  possessions  of  others.  But  we  shall  easily 


440  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

solve  this  difficulty  by  a  distinction  between  intention  and  con- 
cupiscence. For  an  intention,  as  we  have  before  observed  in 
explaining  the  former  commandments,  is  a  deliberate  consent 
of  the  will,  when  the  mind  has  been  enslaved  by  any  unlawful 
desire.  Concupiscence  may  exist  without  such  deliberation  or 
consent,  when  the  mind  is  only  attracted  and  stimulated  by 
vain  and  corrupt  objects.  As  the  Lord  therefore  hath  hitherto 
commanded  our  wills,  efforts,  and  actions  to  be  subject  to  the 
law  of  love,  so  now  he  directs  that  the  conceptions  of  our 
minds  be  subject  to  the  same  regulation,  lest  any  of  them  be 
corrupt  and  perverted,  and  give  our  hearts  an  improper  im- 
pulse. As  he  hath  forbidden  our  minds  to  be  inclined  and 
persuaded  to  anger,  hatred,  adultery,  rapine,  and  falsehood, 
so  now  he  prohibits  them  from  being  instigated  to  these  vices. 
L.  Nor  is  it  without  cause  that  he  requires  such  con- 
summate rectitude.  For  who  can  deny  that  it  is  reasonable 
for  all  the  powers  of  our  souls  to  be  under  the  influence  of 
love?  But  if  any  one  deviate  from  the  path  of  love,  who  can 
deny  that  that  soul  is  in  an  unhealthy  state?  Now  whence  is 
it,  that  your  mind  conceives  desires  prejudicial  to  your  neigh- 
bour, but  that,  neglecting  his  interest,  you  consult  nothing 
but  your  own?  For  if  your  heart  were  full  of  love,  there 
would  be  no  part  of  it  exposed  to  such  imaginations.  It  must 
therefore  be  destitute  of  love,  so  far  as  it  is  the  seat  of  concu- 
piscence. Some  one  will  object,  that  it  is  unreasonable,  that 
imaginations,  which  without  reflection  flutter  about  in  the 
mind,  and  then  vanish  away,  should  be  condemned  as  symp- 
toms of  concupiscence,  which  has  its  seat  in  the  heart.  I  reply, 
that  the  present  question  relates  to  that  kind  of  imaginations, 
which  when  they  are  presented  to  our  understandings,  at  the 
same  time  strike  our  hearts,  and  inflame  them  with  cupidity; 
since  the  mind  never  entertains  a  wish  for  any  thing  after 
which  the  heart  is  not  excited  to  pant.  Therefore  God  en- 
joins a  wonderful  ardour  of  love,  which  he  will  not  allow  to  be 
interrupted  even  by  the  smallest  degree  of  concupiscence.  He 
requires  a  heart  admirably  well  regulated,  which  he  permits 
not  to  be  disturbed  with  the  least  emotion  contrary  to  the  law 
of  love.  Do  not  imagine  that  this  doctrine  is  unsupported  by 
any  great  authority;  for  I  derived  the  first  idea  of  it  from 


CHAP,  vni.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  441 

Augustine.  Now  though  the  design  of  the  Lord  was  to  pro- 
hibit us  from  all  corrupt  desires,  yet  he  hath  exhibited,  as 
examples,  those  objects  which  most  generally  deceive  us  with 
a  fallacious  appearance  of  pleasure;  that  he  might  not  leave 
any  thing  to  concupiscence,  after  having  driven  it  from  those 
objects  towards  which  it  is  most  violently  inclined.  Behold 
then  the  second  table  of  the  law,  which  sufficiently  instructs 
us  in  the  duties  we  owe  to  men  for  the  sake  of  God,  on  the  re- 
gard to  whom  the  whole  rule  of  love  depends.  The  duties 
taught  in  this  second  table  therefore  we  will  inculcate  in  vain, 
unless  our  instruction  be  founded  on  the  fear  and  reverence 
of  God.  To  divide  the  prohibition  of  concupiscence  into  t.vo 
precepts,  the  discerning  reader,  without  any  comment  of  mine, 
will  pronounce  to  be  a  corrupt  and  violent  separation  of  what 
is  but  one.  Nor  is  the  repetition  of  this  phrase,  "  Thou  shalt 
not  covet,"  any  objection  against  us;  because  having  mentioned 
the  house  or  family,  God  enumerates  the  different  parts  of  it, 
beginning  with  the  wife.  Hence  it  clearly  appears  that  it 
ought  to  be  read,  as  it  is  correctly  read  by  the  Hebrews,  in 
one  continued  connection;  and  in  short  that  God  commands, 
that  all  that  every  man  possesses  remain  safe  and  entire,  not 
only  from  any  actual  injury  or  fraudulent  intention,  but  even 
from  the  least  emotion  of  cupidity  that  can  solicit  our  hearts. 

LI.  But  what  is  the  tendency  of  the  whole  law,  will  not 
now  be  difficult  to  judge:  it  is,  to  a  perfection  of  righteousness, 
that  it  may  form  the  life  of  man  after  the  example  of  the 
Divine  purity.  For  God  hath  so  delineated  his  own  character 
in  it,  that  the  man  who  exemplifies  in  his  actions  the  precepts 
it  contains,  will  exhibit  in  his  life,  as  it  were,  an  image  of  God. 
Wherefore  when  Moses  would  recal  the  substance  of  it  to  the 
remembrance  of  the  Israelites,  he  said,  "  And  now,  Israel, 
what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require  of  thee,  but  to  fear  the 
Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  all  his  ways,  and  to  love  him,  and 
to  serve  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  to  keep  the  commandments  of  the  Lord?"  (o)  Nor  did 
he  cease  to  reiterate  the  same  things  to  them,  whenever  he 
intended  to  point  out  the  end  of  the  law.  The  pendency  of  the 

(o)  Deut.  x.  12,  13. 
VOL.  I.  3  K 


442  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

doctrine  of  the  law  is  to  connect  man  with  his  God,  and,  as 
Moses  elsewhere  expresses  it,  to  make  him  cleave  to  the  Lord 
in  sanctity  of  life.  (/>)  Now  the  perfection  of  this  sanctity  con- 
sists in  two  principal  points  already  recited,  "  that  we  love 
the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our  heart,  and  with  all  our  soul, 
and  with  all  our  strength,  and  with  all  our  mind;  and  our 
neighbour  as  ourselves."  (y)  And  the  first  is,  that  our  souls 
be  completely  filled  with  the  love  of  God.  From  this  the  love 
of  our  neighbour  will  naturally  follow:  as  the  apostle  signifies, 
when  he  says,  that  "  the  end  of  the  commandment  is  charity 
out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good  conscience,  and  of  faith 
unfeigned."  (r)  Here  we  find  a  good  conscience  and  faith 
unfeigned,  that  is,  in  a  word,  true  piety,  stated  to  be  the  grand 
source  from  which  charity  is  derived.  He  is  deceived,  there- 
fore, who  supposes  that  the  law  teaches  nothing  but  certain 
rudiments  and  first  principles  of  righteousness,  by  which  men 
are  introduced  to  the  commencement,  but  are  not  directed  to 
the  true  goal  of  good  works.  Beyond  the  former  sentence  of 
Moses  and  the  latter  of  Paul,  nothing  farther  can  be  wanted 
to  the  highest  perfection.  For  how  far  will  he  wish  to  proceed, 
who  will  not  be  content  with  this  instruction,  by  which  man 
is  directed  to  the  fear  of  God,  to  the  spiritual  worship  of  him, 
to  the  observance  of  his  commands,  to  persevering  rectitude  in 
the  way  of  the  Lord,  to  purity  of  conscience,  and  sincere  faith 
and  love?  Hence  we  derive  a  confirmation  of  the  foregoing 
exposition  of  the  law,  which  traces  and  finds  in  its  precepts  all 
the  duties  of  piety  and  love.  For  they  who  attend  merely  to 
dry  and  barren  elements,  as  though  it  taught  them  but  half  of 
the  Divine  will,  are  declared  by  the  apostle  to  have  no  know- 
ledge of  its  end. 

LII.  But  because  Christ  and  his  apostles,  in  reciting  the 
substance  of  the  law,  sometimes  omit  the  first  table,  (*)  many 
persons  are  deceived  in  this  point,  who  wish  to  extend  their 
expressions  to  both  tables.  In  the  Gospel  of  Matthew,  Christ 
(alls  judgment,  mercy,  and  faith,  "  the  weightier  matters  of  the 
law."  By  the  word  faith  it  is  evident  to  me  that  he  intends 
truth  or  fidelity  towards  men.  Some  however,  in  order  to 

(/>)  Deut.  xi.  22.  (<?)  Luke  x.  27. 

•'••)  1  Tim.  i.5.  .'.-.•)  Matt,  xxiii.  ?,v 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  443 

extend  the  passage  to  the  whole  law,  take  the  word  faith  to  mean 
religion  towards  God.  But  for  this  there  is  no  foundation; 
for  Christ  is  treating  of  those  works,  by  which  a  man  ought 
to  prove  himself  to  be  righteous.  If  we  attend  to  this  ob- 
servation, we  shall  cease  also  to  wonder,  why  in  another 
place,  to  the  inquiry  of  a  young  man,  what  those  command- 
ments are  by  the  observance  of  which  we  enter  into  life,  he 
only  returns  the  following  answer:  "  Thou  shalt  do  no  mur- 
der, Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery,  Thou  shalt  not  steal, 
Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness,  Honour  thy  father  and 
thy  mother:  and,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigbour  as  thyself."  (?) 
For  obedience  to  the  first  table  consisted  chiefly  either  in 
the  disposition  of  the  heart,  or  in  ceremonies.  The  dispo- 
sition of  the  heart  was  not  visible,  and  the  ceremonies  were 
diligently  performed  by  hypocrites;  but  the  works  of  charity 
are  such  as  enable  us  to  give  a  certain  evidence  of  righteousness. 
But  the  same  occurs  in  the  prophets  so  frequently,  that  it  must 
be  familiar  to  the  reader  who  is  but  tolerably  conversant  with 
them.  For  in  almost  all  cases  when  they  exhort  to  repentance, 
they  omit  the  first  table,  and  insist  on  faith,  judgment,  mercy, 
and  equity.  Nor  do  they  by  this  method  neglect  the  fear  of 
God,  but  require  substantial  proof  of  it  from  those  marks.  It 
is  well  known  that  when  they  treat  of  the  observation  of  the 
law,  they  generally  insist  on  the  second  table;  because  it  is  in 
it  that  the  love  of  righteousness  and  integrity  is  principally 
discovered.  It  is  unnecessary  to  quote  the  passages,  as  every 
person  will  of  himself  easily  remark  what  I  have  stated. 

LIU.  Is  it  then,  it  will  be  asked,  of  more  importance  to- 
wards the  attainment  of  righteousness,  to  live  innocently  with 
men,  than  piously  towards  God?  By  no  means.  But  because 
no  man  fulfils  all  the  duties  of  charity,  unless  he  really  fear 
God,  we  derive  from  those  duties  a  proof  of  his  piety.  Besides, 
the  Lord,  well  knowing  that  he  can  receive  no  benefit  from 
us,  which  he  also  declares  by  the  psalmist,  (t>)  requires  not  our 
services  for  himself,  but  employs  us  in  good  works  towards  our 
neighbour.  It  is  not  without  reason  then  that  the  apostle 
makes  all  the  perfection  of  the  saints  to  consist  in  love;  (w) 

(f)  Matt.  xix.  18,  19.  (»)  Psalm  xvi.  2.  (w)  Ephes.  iii.  17. 


444  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

which  in  another  place  he  very  justly  styles  "the  fulfilling  of 
the  law."  adding,  that  "  he  that  loveth  another  hath  fulfilled 
the  law."  (.v)  Again;  that  "  all  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one 
word,  even  in  this;  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself."  (//) 
For  he  teaches  nothing  different  from  what  is  taught  by  Christ 
himself,  when  he  says,  "  All  things  whatsoever  ye  would  that 
men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them:  for  this  is  the 
law  and  the  prophets."  (2)  It  is  certain  that  in  the  law  and 
the  prophets,  faith,  and  all  that  pertains  to  the  legitimate  wor- 
ship of  God,  hold  the  principal  place,  and  that  love  occupies  an 
inferior  station;  but  our  Lord  intends  that  the  observance  of 
justice  and  equity  among  men  is  only  prescribed  to  us  in  the 
law,  that  our  pious  fear  of  him,  if  we  really  possess  any,  may 
be  proved  by  our  actions. 

LIV.  Here  then  we  must  rest,  that  our  life  will  then  be  go- 
verned according  to  the  will  of  God,  and  the  prescriptions  of 
his  law,  when  it  is  in  all  respects  most  beneficial  to  our  bre- 
thren. But  we  do  not  find  in  the  whole  law  one  syllable,  that 
lays  down  any  rule  for  a  man  respecting  those  things,  which 
he  should  practise  or  omit  for  his  carnal  convenience.  And 
surely,  since  men  are  born  in  such  a  state,  that  they  are  en- 
tirely governed  by  an  immoderate  self-love,  a  passion  which, 
how  great  soever  their  departure  from  the  truth,  they  always 
retain;  there  was  no  need  of  a  law  which  would  inflame 
that  love,  already  of  itself  too  violent.  Whence  it  plainly 
appears,  that  the  observance  of  the  commandments  consists 
not  in  the  love  of  ourselves,  but  in  the  love  of  God  and  of  our 
neighbour;  that  his  is  the  best  and  most  holy  life,  who  lives 
as  little  as  possible  to  himself;  and  that  no  man  leads  a  worse 
or  more  iniquitous  life,  than  he  who  lives  exclusively  to  himself, 
and  makes  his  own  interest  the  sole  object  of  his  thoughts 
and  pursuits.  Moreover,  the  Lord,  in  order  to  give  us  the 
best  expression  of  the  strength  of  that  love  which  we  ought 
to  exercise  towards  our  neighbours,  has  regulated  it  by  the 
standard  of  our  self-love,  because  there  was  no  stronger  or 
more  vehement  affection.  And  the  force  of  the  expression 
must  be  carefully  examined;  for  he  does  not,  according  to  the 

(a;)  Rom.  xiii.  8.  (y)  Gal.  V.  14.  (z)  Matt.  vii.  12. 


,CHAP.  viii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  445 

foolish  dreams  of  some  sophists,  concede  the  first  place  to 
self-love,  and  assign  the  second  to  the  love  of  our  neighbour; 
but  rather  transfers  to  others  that  affection  of  love  which  we 
naturally  restrict  to  ourselves.  Whence  the  apostle  asserts  that 
"  charity  seeketh  not  her  own."  (a)  Nor  is  their  argument, 
that  every  thing  regulated  by  any  standard  is  inferior  to  the 
standard  by  which  it  is  regulated,  worthy  of  the  least  attention. 
For  God  does  not  appoint  our  self-love  as  the  rule,  to  which 
our  love  to  others  should  be  subordinate;  but  whereas,  through 
our  natural  depravity,  our  love  used  to  terminate  in  ourselves, 
he  shews  that  it  ought  now  to  be  diffused  abroad;  that  we 
may  be  ready  to  do  any  service  to  our  neighbour  with  as  much 
alacrity,  ardour,  and  solicitude,  as  to  ourselves. 

LV.  Now  since  Christ  hath  demonstrated  in  the  parable  of 
the  Samaritan,  that  the  word  "  neighbour"  comprehends  every 
man,  even  the  greatest  stranger,  we  have  no  reason  to  limit 
the  commandment  of  love  to  our  own  relations  or  friends.  I 
do  not  deny,  that  the  more  closely  any  person  is  united  to  us, 
the  greater  claim  he  has  to  the  assistance  of  our  kind  offices. 
For  the  condition  of  humanity  requires,  that  men  should  per- 
form more  acts  of  kindness  to  each  other,  in  proportion  to  the 
closeness  of  the  bonds  by  which  they  are  connected,  whether 
of  relationship,  or  acquaintance,  or  vicinity;  and  this  with- 
out any  offence  to  God,  by  whose  providence  we  are  con- 
strained to  it.  But  I  assert,  that  the  whole  human  race,  with- 
out any  exception,  should  be  comprehended  in  the  same  affec- 
tion of  love,  and  that  in  this  respect  there  is  no  difference  be- 
tween the  barbarian  and  the  grecian,  the  worthy  and  unworthy, 
the  friend  and  the  foe;  for  they  are  to  be  considered  in  God, 
and  not  in  themselves,  and  whenever  we  deviate  from  this 
view  of  the  subject,  it  is  no  wonder  if  we  fall  into  many  errors. 
Wherefore  if  we  wish  to  adhere  to  the  true  law  of  love,  our 
eyes  must  chiefly  be  directed,  not  to  man  the  prospect  of  whom 
would  impress  us  with  hatred  more  frequently  than  with  love, 
but  to  God  who  commands  that  our  love  to  him  be  diffused 
among  all  mankind;  so  that  this  must  always  be  a  fundamental 

(a)  1  Cor.  xiii.  S. 


446  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

maxim  with  us,  that  whatever  be  the  character  of  a  man,  yet 
we  ought  to  love  him  because  we  love  God. 

LVI.  Wherefore  the  schoolmen  have  discovered  either  their 
ignorance  or  their  wickedness  in  a  most  pestilent  manner, 
when,  treating  of  the  precepts  prohibiting  the  desire  of  re- 
venge, and  enjoining  the  love  of  our  enemies,  which  were 
anciently  delivered  to  all  the  Jews,  and  afterwards  equally  to 
all  Christians,  they  have  made  them  to  be  counsels  which 
we  are  at  liberty  to  obey  or  not  to  obey,  and  have  confined 
the  necessary  observance  of  them  to  the  monks,  who  on  ac- 
count of  this  very  circumstance  would  be  more  righteous  than 
plain  Christians,  because  they  voluntarily  bound  themselves  to 
observe  these  counsels.  The  reason  which  they  assign  for  not 
receiving  them  as  laws,  is,  that  they  appear  too  burdensome 
and  grievous,  especially  to  Christians  who  are  under  the  law 
of  grace.  Do  they  presume  in  this  manner  to  disannul  the 
eternal  law  of  God  respecting  the  love  of  our  neighbour? 
Is  such  a  distinction  to  be  found  in  any  page  of  the  law?  On 
the  contrary,  does  it  not  abound  with  commandments  most 
strictly  enjoining  the  love  of  our  enemies?  For  what  is  the 
meaning  of  the  injunction  to  feed  our  neighbour  when  he  is 
hungry?  (£)  to  direct  into  the  right  way  his  oxen  or  his  asses 
when  they  are  going  astray,  and  to  help  them  when  sinking 
under  a  burden?  (c)  Shall  we  do  good  to  his  cattle  for  his 
sake,  and  feel  no  benevolence  to  his  person?  What!  is  not 
the  word  of  the  Lord  eternal?  "  Vengeance  is  mine,  I  will 
repay."  (^)  Which  is  expressed  in  another  passage  still  more 
explicitly:  "  Thou  shalt  not  avenge,  nor  bear  any  grudge 
against  the  children  of  thy  people."  (e)  Let  them  either  ob- 
literate these  passages  from  the  law,  or  acknowledge  that  the 
Lord  was  a  legislator,  and  no  longer  falsely  pretend  that  he 
was  only  a  counsellor. 

LVI  I.  And  what  is  the  meaning  of  the  following  expressions 
which  they  have  presumed  to  abuse  by  the  absurdity  of  their 
comment?  "  Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  do 
good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them  which  despite- 

(i)  Prov.  xxv.  21.  (c)  Exod.  xxiii.  4,  5. 

(cf)  Rom.  xii.  19,  0)  Lev.  six.  18. 


CHAP,  viii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  447 

fully  use  you,  and  persecute  you;  that  ye  may  be  the  children 
of  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  (/)  Here,  who  would 
not  argue  with  Chrysostom,  that  the  allegation  of  such  a  ne- 
cessary cause  clearly  proves  these  to  be,  not  exhortations,  but 
commandments?  What  have  we  left  us,  after  being  expunged 
from  the  number  of  the  children  of  God?  But  according  to 
them,  the  monks  will  be  the  only  sons  of  the  heavenly  Father; 
they  alone  will  venture  to  invoke  God  as  their  Father.  What 
will  now  become  of  the  Church?  Upon  the  same  principle 
it  will  be  confined  to  heathens  and  publicans.  For  Christ 
says,  "  If  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what  reward  have 
ye?  do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same?"  (_§")  Shall  not 
we  be  in  a  happy  situation,  if  they  leave  us  the  title  of  Chris- 
tians, but  deprive  us  of  the  inheritance  of  the  kindom  of 
heaven?  The  argument  of  Augustine  is  equally  strong.  When 
the  Lord,  says  he,  prohibits  adultery,  he  forbids  you  to 
violate  the  wife  of  your  enemy  no  less  than  of  your  friend: 
when  he  prohibits  theft,  he  permits  you  not  to  steal  from  any 
one,  whether  he  be  a  friend  or  an  enemy.  Now  Paul  reduces 
these  two  prohibitions  of  theft  and  adultery  to  the  rule  of  love, 
and  even  teaches  that  they  are  "  briefly  comprehended  in  this 
saying,  namely,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself."  (A) 
Either  then  Paul  must  have  been  an  erroneous  expositor  of  the 
law,  or  it  necessarily  follows  from  this,  that  we  are  commanded 
to  love,  not  only  our  friends,  but  also  our  enemies.  Those 
therefore,  who  so  licentiously  shake  off  the  yoke  of  the  children 
of  God,  evidently  betray  themselves  to  be  the  sons  of  Satan. 
It  is  doubtful  whether  they  have  discovered  greater  stupidity 
or  impudence  in  the  publication  of  this  dogma.  For  all  the 
Fathers  decidedly  pronounce  that  these  are  pure  precepts.  That 
no  doubt  was  entertained  on  the  subject  in  the  time  of  Gregory 
appears  from  his  positive  assertions,  for  he  treats  them  as  pre- 
cepts, as  though  it  had  never  been  controverted.  And  how 
foolishly  do  they  argue?  They  would  be  a  burden,  say  they, 
too  grievous  for  Christians.  As  though  truly  any  thing  could 
be  conceived  more  difficult,  than  to  love  God  with  all  our 
heart,  with  all  our  soul,  and  with  all  our  strength.  Compared 

(/)  Matt.  v.  44,  45.  ( g)  Matt.  v.  46  (/,)  Rom.  xiii.  9. 


448  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

with  this  law  every  thing  must  be  accounted  easy,  whether  it 
be  to  love  an  enemy,  or  to  banish  from  the  mind  all  desire  of 
revenge.  To  our  imbecility,  indeed,  every  thing  is  arduous 
and  difficult,  even  the  smallest  point  in  the  law.  It  is  the 
Lord  in  whom  we  find  strength:  let  him  give  what  he  com- 
mands, and  let  him  command  what  he  pleases.  The  state  of 
Christians  under  the  law  of  grace  consists  not  in  unbounded 
license  uncontrolled  by  any  law,  but  in  being  ingrafted  into 
Christ,  by  whose  grace  they  are  delivered  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  and  by  whose  Spirit  they  have  the  law  inscribed  on  their 
hearts.  This  grace  Paul  has  figuratively  denominated  a  law, 
in  allusion  to  the  law  of  God,  to  which  he  was  comparing  and 
contrasting  it.  Their  dispute  concerning  the  word  law  is  a  dis- 
pute about  nothing. 

LVIII.  Of  the  same  nature  is  what  they  have  called  venial 
sin;  a  term  which  they  apply  to  secret  impiety  which  is  a 
breach  of  the  first  table,  and  to  the  direct  transgression  of  the 
last  commandment.  For  this  is  their  definition,  that  "  it  is  evil 
desire  without  any  deliberate  assent,  and  without  any  long 
continuance  in  the  heart."  Now  I  assert  that  evil  desire  cannot 
enter  the  heart,  except  through  a  deficiency  of  those  things 
which  the  law  requires.  We  are  forbidden  to  have  any  strange 
gods.  When  the  mind,  assaulted  by  mistrust,  looks  around 
to  some  other  quarter,  when  it  is  stimulated  by  a  sudden  de- 
sire of  transferring  its  happiness  from  God  to  some  other 
being;  whence  proceed  these  emotions,  however  transient,  but 
from  the  existence  of  some  vacuum  in  the  soul  to  receive 
such  temptations?  And  not  to  protract  this  argument  to 
greater  length,  we  are  commanded  to  love  God  with  all  our 
heart,  with  all  our  mind,  and  with  all  our  soul:  therefore  unless 
all  the  powers  our  soul  be  intensely  engaged  in  the  love 
of  God,  we  have  already  departed  from  the  obedience  required 
by  the  law:  for  that  the  dominion  of  God  is  not  well  esta- 
blished in  our  conscience,  is  evident,  from  the  enemies  that 
there  rebel  against  his  government,  and  interrupt  the  execu- 
tion of  his  commands.  That  the  last  commandment  properly 
belongs  to  this  point,  has  been  already  demonstrated.  Have 
we  felt  any  evil  desire  in  our  heart?  we  are  already  guilty  of 
concupiscence,  and  are  become  at  once  transgressors  of  the  law; 


CHAP,  viii.]     CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  449 

because  the  Lord  forbids  us,  not  only  to  plan  and  attempt  any 
thing  that  would  prove  detrimental  to  another,  but  even  to  be 
stimulated  and  agitated  with  concupiscence.  Now  the  curse 
of  God  always  rests  on  the  transgression  of  the  law.  We 
have  no  reason  therefore  to  exempt  even  the  most  trivial  emo- 
tions of  concupiscence  from  the  sentence  of  death.  "  In  de- 
termining the  nature  of  different  sins,"  says  Augustine,  "let 
us  not  use  deceitful  balances,  to  weigh  what  we  please  and 
how  we  please,  according  to  our  own  humour,  saying,  This  is 
heavy, — This  is  light:  but  let  us  borrow  the  divine  balance 
from  the  holy  Scriptures,  as  from  the  treasury  of  the  Lord, 
and  therein  weigh  what  is  heavy;  or  rather  let  us  weigh  no- 
thing ourselves,  but  acknowledge  the  weight  already  deter- 
mined by  the  Lord."  And  what  says  the  Scripture?  The 
assertion  of  Paul,  that  "  the  wages  of  sin  is  death,"  (z)  sufficiently 
demonstrates  this  groundless  distinction  to  have  been  unknown 
to  him.  As  we  have  already  too  strong  a  propensity  to  hypo- 
crisy, this  opiate  ought  byj[no  means  to  have  been  added  to  lull 
our  consciences  into  greater  insensibility. 

LIX.  I  wish  these  persons  would  consider  the  meaning  of 
this  declaration  of  Christ:  "Whosoever  shall  break  one  of 
these  least  commandments,  and  shall  teach  men  so,  he  shall 
be  called  the  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  (/$)  Are  not 
they  of  this  number,  who  thus  presume  to  extenuate  the  trans- 
gression of  the  law,  as  though  it  were  not  worthy  of  death? 
But  they  ought  to  consider,  not  merely  what  is  commanded, 
but  who  it  is  that  gives  the  commands;  because  the  smallest 
transgression  of  the  law,  which  he  has  given,  is  a  derogation 
from  his  authority.  Is  the  violation  of  the  Divine  majesty  in 
any  case  a  trivial  thing  in  their  estimation?  Lastly,  if  God 
has  declared  his  will  in  the  law,  whatever  is  contrary  to  the 
law  displeases  him.  Will  they  pretend  that  the  wrath  of  God 
is  so  debilitated  and  disarmed,  that  the  punishment  of  death 
cannot  immediately  follow?  He  hath  unequivocally  declared, 
if  they  could  induce  themselves  to  listen  to  his  voice,  rather 
than  obscure  the  plain  truth  with  their  frivolous  subtleties:  "  The 
soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die:"  (/)  and,  which  I  have  before 

(*)  Rom.  vi.  23.  (*)  Matt.  v.  19.  (/)  Ezek.  xviii.  20. 

VOL.  I.  3  L 


450  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

cited,  "The  wages  of  sin  is  death."  (m)  They  acknowledge 
it  to  be  sin,  because  it  is  impossible  to  deny  it,  yet  they  con- 
tend that  it  is  not  mortal  sin.  But,  as  they  have  hitherto  too 
much  resigned  themselves  to  infatuation,  they  should  at  length 
learn  to  return  to  the  exercise  of  their  reason.  If  they  perse- 
vere in  their  dreams,  we  will  take  our  leave  of  them.  Let  the 
children  of  God  know  that  all  sin  is  mortal;  because  it  is  a 
rebellion  against  the  will  of  God,  which  necessarily  provokes 
his  wrtith;  because  it  is  a  transgression  of  the  law,  against 
which  the  Divine  judgment  is  universally  denounced:  and 
that  the  offences  of  the  saints  are  venial,  not  of  their  own 
nature,  but  because  they  obtain  pardon  through  the  mercy 
of  God. 


••www»/v»  - 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Christ,  though  known  to  the  Jews  under  the  Law,  yet  clearly 
revealed  only  in  the  Gospel. 

As  it  was  not  without  reason,  or  without  effect,  that  God 
was  pleased  in  ancient  times  to  manifest  himself  as  a  Father 
by  means  of  expiations  and  sacrifices,  and  consecrated  to  him- 
self a  chosen  people;  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  was  known 
even  then  in  the  same  image  in  which  he  now  appears  to  us 
with  meridian  splendour.  Therefore  Malachi,  after  having 
enjoined  the  Jews  to  attend  to  the  law  of  Moses,  and  to  per- 
severe in  the  observance  of  it  (because  after  his  death  there  was 
to  be  an  interruption  of  the  prophetical  office)  immediately 
announces,  that  "  the  Sun  of  rigktcousness  shall  arise."  (n) 
In  this  language  he  suggests,  that  the  law  tended  to  excite  in 
the  pious  an  expectation  of  the  Messiah  that  was  to  come, 
and  that  at  his  advent  there  was  reason  to  hope  for  a  much 
greater  degree  of  light.  For  this  reason  Peter  says  that  "  the 
prophets  have  inquired  and  searched  diligently  concerning  the 
salvation"  which  is  now  manifested  in  the  Gospel;  and  that 
•l  it  was  revealed  to  them,  that  not  unto  themselves,  but  unto 

'  (ni)  Rom.  vi.  23.  (;i)  Mai.  iv.  2. 


CHAP,  ix.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  451 

us,  they  did  minister  the  things  which  are  now  reported  unto 
you  by  them  that  have  preached  the  Gospel  unto  you."  (o) 
Not  that  their  instructions  were  useless  to  the  ancient  people, 
or  unprofitable  to  themselves,  but  because  they  did  not  enjoy 
the  treasure,  which  God  through  their  hands  hath  transmitted 
to  us.  For  in  the  present  day,  the  grace,  which  was  the  sub- 
ject of  their  testimony,  is  familiarly  exhibited  before  our  eyes; 
and  whereas  they  had  but  a  small  taste,  we  have  offered  to  us 
a  more  copious  fruition  of  it.  Therefore  Christ,  who  asserts 
that  "  Moses  wrote  of  him,"  (/>)  nevertheless  extols  that  mea- 
sure of  grace  in  which  we  excel  the  Jews.  Addressing  his 
disciples  he  says,  "  Blessed  are  your  eyes,  for  they  see;  and 
your  ears,  for  they  hear."  (^)  "  For  I  tell  you,  that  many 
prophets  and  kings  have  desired  to  see  those  things  which  ye 
see,  and  have  not  seen  them;  and  to  hear  those  things  which 
ye  hear,  and  have  not  heard  them."  (r)  This  is  no  small  re- 
commendation of  the  evangelical  revelation,  that  God  has  pre- 
ferred us  to  those  holy  fathers  who  were  eminent  for  singular 
piety.  To  this  declaration  that  other  passage  is  not  at  all  re- 
pugnant, where  Christ  says,  "  Abraham  saw  my  day,  and  was 
glad."  (s)  For  though  his  prospect  of  a  thing  so  very  remote 
was  attended  with  much  obscurity,  yet  there  was  nothing 
wanting  to  the  certainty  of  a  well-founded  hope;  and  hence 
that  joy  which  accompanied  the  holy  patriarch  even  to  his 
death.  Neither  does  this  assertion  of  John  the  Baptist,  "  No 
man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time;  the  only-begotten  Son,  which 
is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath  declared  him,"  (?)  ex- 
clude the  pious,  who  had  died  before  his  time,  from  a  partici- 
pation of  the  understanding  and  light  which  shine  in  the  per- 
son of  Christ,  but  comparing  their  condition  with  ours,  teaches 
us  that  we^  have  a  clear  manifestation  of  those  mysteries^  of 
which_they  had  only  an  obscure  prospect  through  the  medium 
of  shadows;  as  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  more 
copiously  and  excellently  shews,  that  "  God,  who  at  sundry 
times,  and  in  divers  manners,  spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers 
by  the  prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his 

(o)  1  Peter  i.  10—12.  (/»)  John  v.  46. 

(7)  Matt.  xiii.  16.  (r)  Luke  x.  24. 

(?)  John  viii.  56.  (r)  John  i.  18. 


452  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

Son."  (V)  Therefore  that  only-begotten  Son,  who  is  now  to 
us  "  the  brightness  of  the  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  the 
person"  (w)  of  God  the  Father,  was  formerly  known  to  the 
Jews,  as  we  have  elsewhere  shewn  by  a  quotation  from  Paul, 
that  he  was  the  leader  of  their  ancient  deliverance  from  Egypt; 
yet  this  also  is  a  truth,  which  is  asserted  by  the  same  Paul  in 
another  place,  that  "  God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine 
out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give  the  light 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ."  (#)  For  when  he  appeared  in  this  his  image,  he  made 
himself  visible,  as  it  were,  in  comparison  with  the  obscure  and 
shadowy  representation  of  him  which  had  been  given  before. 
This  renders  the  ingratitude  and  obstinacy  of  them,  who  shut 
their  eyes  amid  this  meridian  blaze,  so  much  the  more  vile 
and  detestable.  And  therefore  Paul  says  that  Satan,  "the  god 
of  this  world,  hath  blinded  their  minds,  lest  the  light  of  the  glo- 
rious gospel  of  Christ  should  shine  unto  them."  (z/) 

II.  Now  I  understand  the  Gospel  to  be  a  clear  manifestation 
of  the  mystery  of  Christ.  I  grant  indeed,  since  Paul  styles  the 
gospel,  the  doctrine  of  faith ,  (z)  that  whatever  promises  we 
find  in  the  law  concerning  remission  of  sins,  by  which  God 
reconciles  men  to  himself,  are  accounted  parts  of  it.   For  he 
opposes  faith  to  those  terrors,  which  would  torment  and  harass 
the    conscience,  if   salvation   were    to  be    sought   by  works. 
Whence   it  follows,  that  taking    the  word  gospel  in  a   large 
sense,  it  comprehends  all  those  testimonies,  which  God  formerly 
gave  to  the  fathers,  of  his  mercy  and  paternal  favour;  but  it  is 
more  eminently  applicable  to  the  promulgation  of  the   grace 
exhibited  in  Christ.  This  acceptation  is  not  only  sanctioned 
by  common  use,  but  supported  by  the  authority  of  Christ  and 
the    apostles.  Whence    it    is    properly  said  of  him,   that   he 
"  preached  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom."  (a)  And  Mark  intro- 
duces himself  with  this  preface:  "  The  beginning  of  the  gospel 
of  Jesus  Christ."  But  it  is  needless  to  collect  more  passages 
to  prove  a  thing  sufficiently  known.  Christ  then,  by  his  ad- 
vent, "hath  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the 

(v)  Heb.  i.  1,  2.  (7t-)  Heb.  i.  3. 

(j-)  2  Cor.  iv.  6.  (  y)  2  Cor.  iv.  4. 

(«)  1  Tim.  iv.  6  (a)  Matt.  ix.  35. 


CHAP,  ix.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  453 

gospel."  (£)  By  these  expressions  Paul  means,  not  that  the 
fathers  were  immerged  in  the  shades  of  death,  till  the  Son  of 
God  became  incarnate;  but  claiming  for  the  gospel  this  ho- 
nourable prerogative,  he  teaches  that  it  is  a  new  and  unusual 
kind  of  legation,  in  which  God  hath  performed  those  things 
that  he  had  promised,  that  the  truth  of  the  promises  might  ap- 
pear in  the  person  of  his  Son.  For  though  the  faithful  have 
always  experienced  the  truth  of  an  assertion  of  Paul,  that  "  all 
the  promises  of  God  in  him  are  Yea,  and  in  him  Amen;"  (c)  be- 
cause they  have  been  sealed  in  their  hearts:  yet  since  he  has 
completed  in  his  body  all  the  parts  of  our  salvation,  the  lively 
exhibition  of  those  things  has  justly  obtained  new  and  singular 
praise.  Hence  this  declaration  of  Christ:  "  Hereafter  ye  shall 
see  heaven  open,  and  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descend- 
ing upon  the  Son  of  man."  (d}  For  though  he  seems  to  allude 
to  the  ladder  which  the  patriarch  Jacob  saw  in  a  vision,  yet  he 
displays  the  superior  excellence  of  his  advent  by  this  character, 
that  he  has  opened  the  gate  of  heaven  to  give  us  free  admittance 
into  it. 

III.  Nevertheless  we  must  beware  of  the  diabolical  imagina- 
tion of  Servetus,  who  while  he  designs  to  extol  the  magnitude 
of  the  grace  of  Christ,  or  at  least  professes  such  a  design,  to- 
tally abolishes  all  the  promises,  as  though  they  were  terminated 
together  with  the  law.  He  pretends,  that  by  faith  in  the 
gospel  we  receive  the  completion  of  all  the  promises;  as 
though  there  were  no  distinction  between  us  and  Christ.  I 
have  just  observed,  that  Christ  left  nothing  incomplete  of  all 
that  was  essential  to  our  salvation:  but  it  is  not  a  fair  infer- 
ence, that  we  already  enjoy  the  benefits  procured  by  him;  for 
this  would  contradict  the  declaration  of  Paul,  that  "  hope  is 
laid  up  for  us."  (i)  I  grant  indeed,  that  when  we  believe  in 
Christ,  we  at  the  same  time  pass  from  death  to  life;  but  we 
should  also  remember  the  observation  of  John,  that  though  "  we 
are  now  the  sons  of  God,  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall 
be;  but  we  know  that,  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like 
him;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  (^)  Though  Christ  there- 
fore offers  us  in  the  Gospel  a  present  plenitude  of  spiritual 

(6)  2  Tim.  i.  10.  (c)  2  Cor.  i.  20.  (rf)  John  i.  51. 

(/)  Col.  i.  5.  {/)  1  John  Hi.  2. 


454  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

blessings,  yet  the  fruition  of  them  is  concealed  under  the  pro- 
tection of  hope,  till  we  are  divested  of  our  corruptible  body, 
and  transfigured  into  the  glory  of  him  who  has  gone  before 
us.  In  the  mean  time,  the  Holy  Spirit  commands  us  to  rely 
on  the  promises,  and  his  authority  we  ought  to  consider  suffi- 
cient to  silence  all  the  clamours  of  Servetus.  For  according 
to  the  testimony  of  Paul,  "  godliness  hath  promise  of  the 
life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come:"  QJ-)  and  there- 
fore he  boasts  of  being  an  apostle  of  Christ,  "  according  to 
the  promise  of  life  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  (A)  In  another 
place  he  apprizes  us  that  we  have  the  same  promises  which 
were  given  to  the  saints  in  former  times,  (z)  Finally,  he  re- 
presents it  as  the  summit  of  felicity,  that  we  are  sealed  with  the 
Holy  Spirit  of  promise.  (£)  Nor  indeed  have  we  otherwise 
any  enjoyment  of  Christ,  any  farther  than  as  we  embrace  him 
invested  with  his  promises.  Hence  it  is,  that  he  dwells  in  our 
hearts,  and  yet  we  live  like  pilgrims  at  a  distance  from  him; 
because  "  we  walk  by  faith  and  not  by  sight."  Nor  is  there  any 
contrariety  in  these  two  positions,  that  we  possess  in  Christ  all 
that  belongs  to  the  perfection  of  the  life  of  heaven,  and  yet 
that  faith  is  a  vision  of  invisible  blessings.  Only  there  is  a 
difference  to  be  observed  in  the  nature  or  quality  of  the  pro- 
mises; because  the  gospel  affords  a  clear  discovery  of  that 
which  the  law  has  represented  in  shadows  and  types. 

IV.  This  likewise  evinces  the  error  of  those  who  never  make 
any  other  comparison  between  the  Law  and  the  Gospel,  than 
between  the  merit  of  works  and  the  gratuitous  imputation  of 
righteousness.  This  antithesis,  I  grant,  is  by  no  means  to  be 
rejected;  because  Paul  by  the  word  law  frequently  intends 
the  rule  of  a  righteous  life,  in  which  God  requires  of  us  what 
we  owe  to  him,  affording  us  no  hope  of  life,  unless  we  fulfil 
every  part  of  it,  and  on  the  contrary  annexing  a  curse  if  we 
are  guilty  of  the  smallest  transgression.  This  is  the  sense  in 
which  he  uses  it  in  those  passages,  where  he  argues  that  we  are 
accepted  by  God  through  grace,  and  are  accounted  righteous 
through  his  pardon  of  our  sins,  because  the  observance  of  the 
law,  to  which  the  reward  is  promised,  is  not  to  be  found  in  any 

(.§•)  1  Tim.  5  v.  8.  (A)  2  Tim.  i.  1. 

(/)  2  Cor.  vii.  1.  (fr)  Ephes.  i.  13. 


CHAP,  ix.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  455 

man.  Paul  therefore  justly  represents  the  righteousness  of 
the  law  and  that  of  the  gospel  as  opposed  to  each  other.  But 
the  gospel  has  not  succeeded  the  whole  law  so  as  to  intro- 
duce a  different  way  of  salvation;  but  rather  to  confirm  and 
ratify  the  promises  of  the  law,  and  to  connect  the  body  with 
the  shadows.  For  when  Christ  says  that  "the  law  and  the 
prophets  were  until  John,"  he  does  not  abandon  the  fathers  to 
the  curse  which  the  slaves  of  the  law  cannot  escape;  he  rather 
implies  that  they  were  only  initiated  in  the  rudiments  of  reli- 
gion, so  that  they  remained  far  below  the  sublimity  of  the 
evangelical  doctrine.  Wherefore  when  Paul  calls  the  gospel 
"  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  believeth,57 
he  afterwards  adds  that  it  is  "  witnessed  by  the  law  and  the 
prophets."  (/)  But  at  the  end  of  the  same  epistle,  although 
he  asserts  that  the  preaching  of  Jesus  Christ  is  "  the  revelation 
of  the  mystery  which  was  kept  secret  since  the  world  began," 
he  qualifies  this  sentiment  with  the  following  explication:  that 
it  "  is  now  made  manifest,  and  by  the  Scriptures  of  the  pro- 
phets made  known  to  all  nations."  (m)  Hence  we  conclude, 
that  when  mention_  is  jnade  of  tfie^jwlioie^law^jfo^ gospel 
differs  from  it  only  with  respect  to  a  clear  manifestation:  but 
on  account  of  the  inestimable  plenitude  of  grace,  which  has 
been  displayed  to  us  in  Christ,  the  celestial  kingdom  of  God 
is  justly  said  to  have  been  erected  in  the  earth  at  his  advent. 

V.  Now  John  was  placed  between  the  Law  and  the  Gospel, 
holding  an  intermediate  office  connected  with  both.  For  though 
in  calling  Christ  "the  Lamb  of  God"  and  "the  victim  for  the 
expiation  of  sins,"  (71)  he  preached  the  substance  of  the  Gospel; 
yet  because  he  did  not  clearly  express  that  incomparable  power 
and  glory,  which  afterwards  appeared  in  his  resurrection, 
Christ  affirms  that  he  is  not  equal  to  the  apostles.  This  is  his 
meaning  in  the  following  words:  "Among  them  that  are  born 
of  women,  there  hath  not  risen  a  greater  than  John  the  Baptist: 
notwithstanding  he  that  is  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  i.^ 
greater  than  he."  (o)  For  he  is  not  there  commending  the 
persons  of  men,  but  after  having  preferred  John  to  all  the 
prophets,  he  allots  the  highest  degi-ee  of  honour  to  the  preaching 

(.')  Rom.  i.  16.  lit.  21.  (w)  Rom.  xv'-.  25,  2ft 

(n)Johni.  29.  (A  Matfxi.  11. 


456  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

of  the  Gospel,  which  we  have  elsewhere  seen  is  signified  by  "  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  When  John  himself  said  that  he  was  only 
a  "  voice,"  (/>)  as  though  he  were  inferior  to  the  prophets,  this 
declaration  proceeded  not  from  a  pretended  humility;  he 
meant  to  signify  that  he  was  not  intrusted  with  a  proper  em- 
bassy, but  acted  merely  in  the  capacity  of  a  herald,  according 
to  the  prediction  of  Malachi:  "  Behold,  I  will  send  you  Elijah 
the  prophet  before  the  coming  of  the  great  and  dreadful  day 
of  the  Lord."  (7)  Nor  indeed,  through  the  whole  course  of 
his  ministry,  did  he  aim  at  any  thing  but  procuring  disciples 
for  Christ,  which  he  also  proves  from  Isaiah  to  have  been  the 
commission  given  him  by  God.  In  this  sense  he  was  called 
by  Christ  "  a  burning  and  a  shining  light,"  (r)  because  the 
full  day  had  not  yet  arrived.  Yet  this  is  no  reason  why  he 
should  not  be  numbered  among  the  preachers  of  the  gospel, 
as  he  used  the  same  baptism  which  was  afterwards  delivered  to 
the  apostles.  But  it  was  not  till  after  Christ  was  received  into 
the  celestial  glory,  that  the  more  free  and  rapid  progress  of  the 
apostles  completed  what  John  had  begun. 


wwwVWww 

• 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  Similiarity  of  the  Old  and  Neiv  Testaments. 

X1  ROM  the  preceding  observations  it  may  now  be  evident, 
that  all  those  persons,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  whom 
God  hath  adopted  into  the  society  of  his  people,  have  been 
federally  connected  with  him  by  the  same  law  and  the  same 
doctrine  which  are  in  force  among  us:  but  because  it  is  of  no 
small  importance  that  this  point  be  established,  I  shall  shew, 
by  way  of  appendix,  since  the  fathers  were  partakers  with 
us  of  the  same  inheritance,  and  hoped  for  the  same  salvation 
through  the  grace  of  our  common  Mediator,  how  far  their 
condition  in  this  connection  was  different  from  ours.  For 
though  the  testimonies  we  have  collected  from  the  law  and  the 

( />)  John  i.  23.  (y)  Mai.  iv.  5.  (r)  John  v.  35. 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  457 

jprophets  in  proof  of  this,  render  it  sufficiently  evident  that  the 
people  of  God  have  never  had  any  other  rule  of  religion  and 
piety;  yet  because  some  writers  have  raised  many  disputes, 
concerning  the  difference  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
which  may  occasion  doubts  in  the  mind  of  an  undisceming 
reader,  we  shall  assign  a  particular  chapter  for  the  better  and 
more  accurate  discussion  of  this  subject.  Moreover,  what  would 
otherwise  have  been  very  useful,  has  now  been  rendered  neces- 
sary for  us  by  Servetus  and  some  madmen  of  the  sect  of  the 
Anabaptists,  who  entertain  no  other  ideas  of  the  Israelitish  na- 
tion, than  of  a  herd  of  swine,  whom  they  pretend  to  have  been 
pampered  by  the  Lord  in  this  world,  without  the  least  hope  of 
a  future  immortality  in  heaven.  To  defend  the  pious  mind 
therefore  from  this  pestilent  error,  and  at  the  same  time  to  re- 
move all  difficulties  which  may  arise  from  the  mention  of  a 
diversity  between  the  Old  and  New  Testaments;  let  us,  as  we 
proceed,  examine  what  similarity  there  is  between  them,  and  what 
difference;  what  covenant  the  Lord  made  with  the  Israelites  in 
ancient  times  before  the  advent  of  Christ,  and  what  he  hatii 
entered  into  with  us  since  his  manifestation  in  the  flesh. 

II.  And  indeed  both  these  topics  may  be  dispatched  in  one 
word.  The  covenant  of  all  the  fathers  is  so  far  from  differing 
substantially  from  ours,  that  it  is  the  very  same;  it  only  varies 
in  the  administration.  But  as  such  extreme  brevity  would  not 
convey  to  any  man  a  clear  understanding  of  the  subject,  it  is* 
necessary,  if  we  would  do  any  good,  to  proceed  to  a  more? 
diffuse  explication  of  it.  But  in  shewing  their  similarity,  or 
rather  unity,  it  will  be  needless  to  recapitulate  all  the  particu- 
lars which  have  already  been  mentioned,  and  unseasonably  to 
introduce  those  things  which  remain  to  be  discussed  in  some 
other  place.  We  must  here  insist  chiefly  on  three  principal 
points.  We  have  to  maintain,  First,  that  carnal  opulence  and 
felicity  were  not  proposed  to  the  Jews  as  the  mark  towards 
which  they  should  ultimately  aspire,  but  that  they  were  adopted 
to  the  hope  of  immortality,  and  that  the  truth  of  this  adoption 
was  certified  to  them  by  oracles,  by  the  law,  and  by  the  pro- 
phets. Secondly,  that  the  covenant,  by  which  they  were  united 
to  the  Lord,  was  founded,  not  on  any  merits  of  theirs,  but  on 
the  mere  mercy  of  God  who  called  them.  Thirdly,  that  they 

VOL.  I.  3  M 


458  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

both  possessed  and  knew  Christ  as  the  Mediator,  by  whom 
they  were  united  to  God,  and  become  partakers  of  his  pro- 
mises. The  second  of  these  points,  as  perhaps  it  is  not  yet 
sufficiently  known,  shall  be  demonstrated  at  large  in  its  proper 
place.  For  we  shall  prove  by  numerous  and  explicit  testi- 
monies of  the  prophets,  that  whatever  blessing  the  Lord  ever 
gave  or  promised  to  his  people,  proceeded  from  his  indulgent 
goodness.  The  third  point  has  been  clearly  demonstrated  in 
several  places.  And  we  have  not  wholly  neglected  the  first. 
III.  In  discussing  the  first  point  therefore,  because  it  prin- 
cipally belongs  to  the  present  argument,  and  is  the  grand  sub- 
ject of  their  controversy  against  us,  we  will  use  the  more  dili- 
gent application;  yet  in  such  a  manner,  that  if  any  thing  be 
wanting  to  the  explication  of  the  Others,  it  may  be  supplied  as 
we  proceed,  or  added  afterwards  in  a  suitable  place.  Indeed, 
the  apostle  removes  every  doubt  respecting  all  these  points 
when  he  says,  that  God  the  Father  "  promised  afore  by  his 
prophets  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  the  gospel  concerning  his 
Son,"  (.v)  which  he  promulgated  in  the  appointed  time.  Again, 
that  the  righteousness  of  faith,  which  is  revealed  in  the  gospel, 
is  "witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  prophets."  (?)  For  the 
gospel  does  not  detain  men  in  the  joy  of  the  present  life,  but 
elevates  them  to  the  hope  of  immortality;  does  not  fasten  them 
to  terrestrial  delights,  but  announcing  to  them  a  hope  reserved 
in  heaven,  does  as  it  were  transport  them  thither.  For  this  is 
the  description  which  he  gives  in  another  place;  "  In  whom 
also  after  that  ye  believed,  ye  were  sealed  with  that  Holy 
Spirit  of  promise,  which  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheritance  until 
the  redemption  of  the  purchased  possession."  (u)  Again:  "  We 
heard  of  your  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  of  the  love  which  ye 
have  to  all  the  saints,  for  the  hope  which  is  laid  up  for  you  in 
heaven,  whereof  ye  heard  before  in  the  word  of  the  truth  of  the 
gospel."  (w)  Again:  "  He  called  you  by  our  gospel,  to  the 
obtaining  of  the  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  (A-)  Whence 
it  is  called  "  the  word  of  salvation,"  and  "  the  power  of  God  to 
the  salvation  of  believers,"  and  "the  kingdom  of  heaven."  Now 
it"  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel  be  spiritual,  and  open  a  way  to  the 

(*)  Rom.  i.  1—3.  (0  Rom.  ill.  21.  (v)  Ephes.  i.  13,  14. 

Col.i.  !•,  5.  (Y-)  2Thess.  ii.  14. 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 

possession  of  an  immortal  life,  let  us  not  suppose  that  they,  to 
whom  it  was  promised  and  announced,  were  totally  negligent 
and  careless  of  their  souls,  and  stupefied  in  the  pursuit  of  cor- 
poreal pleasures.  Nor  let  any  one  here  cavil,  that  the  pro- 
mises which  are  recorded  in  the  law  and  the  prophets  respect- 
ing the  gospel,  were  not  designed  for  the  Jews.  For  just  after 
having  spoken  of  the  gospel  being  promised  in  the  law,  he 
adds,  "  that  what  things  soever  the  law  saith,  it  saith  to  them 
who*  are  under  the  law."  (t/)  This  was  in  another  argument, 
I  grant;  but  when  he  said  that  whatever  the  law  inculcates 
truly  belonged  to  the  Jews,  he  was  not  so  forgetful  as  not  to 
remember  what  he  had  affirmed,  a  few  verses  before,  concerning 
the  gospel  promised  in  the  law.  By  declaring  that  the  Old 
Testament  contained  evangelical  promises,  therefore,  the 
apostle  most  clearly  demonstrates  that  it  principally  related  to 
a  future  life. 

IV.  For  the  same  reason  it  follows,  that  it  was  founded  on 
the  free  mercy  of  God,  and  confirmed  by  the  mediation  of 
Christ.  For  even  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  only  announces, 
that  sinners  are  justified  by  the  paternal  goodness  of  God,  in- 
dependently of  any  merit  of  their  own;  and  the  whole  sub- 
stance of  it  terminates  in  Christ.  Who  then  dares  to  represent 
the  Jews  as  destitute  of  Christ, — them  with  whom  we  are  in- 
formed the  evangelical  covenant  was  made,  of  which  Christ  is 
the  sole  foundation?  Who  dares  to  represent  them  as  strangers 
to  the  benefit  of  a  free  salvation,  to  whom  we  are  informed  the 
doctrine  of  the  righteousness  of  faith  was  communicated?  But 
not  to  be  prolix  in  disputing  on  a  clear  point,  we  have  a  re- 
markable expression  of  the  Lord:  "  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see 
my  day:  and  he  saw  it,  and  was  glad."  (z)  And  what  Christ 
there  declares  concerning  Abraham,  the  apostle  shews  to  have 
been  universal  among  the  faithful,  when  he  says  that  Christ  re- 
mains "  the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  for  ever."  (a)  For 
he  there  speaks,  not  only  of  the  eternal  divinity  of  Christ,  but 
of  his  power,  which  has  been  perpetually  manifested  to  the 
faithful.  Wherefore  both  the  blessed  Virgin  and  Zachariah 
declare  in  their  songs,  that  the  salvation  revealed  in  Christ  is  a 

(y)  Rom.  iii.  19.  (r)  John  viii.  56.  (<i)  Heb.  x«i.  8. 


460  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  if. 

performance  of  the  promises  which  the  Lord  had  made  to 
Abraham  and  the  patriarchs.  (£)  If  the  Lord  in  the  manifesta- 
tion of  Christ  faithfully  performed  his  ancient  oath,  it  cannot 
be  denied  that  the  end  of  the  Old  Testament  was  always  in 
Christ  and  eternal  life. 

V.  Moreover  the  apostle  makes  the  Israelites  equal  to  us, 
not  only  in  the  grace  of  the  covenant,  but  also  in  the  significa- 
tion of  the  sacraments.   For  when   he  means  to  adduce  ex- 
amples of  the  punishments  with  which    the  Scripture  states 
them  to  have  been  formerly  chastised,  in  order  to  deter  the 
Corinthians   from  running  into  similar  crimes,  he  begins  by 
premising,  that  we  have  no  reason  to  arrogate  any  pre-eminence 
to  ourselves,  which  can  deliver  us  frotn  the  Divine  vengeance 
inflicted  on  them;  since  the  Lord  not  only  favoured  them  with 
the  same  benefits,  but  illustrated  his  grace  among  them  by  the 
same  symbols:  (c)  as  though  he  had  said,  If  ye  confide  in  being 
beyond  the  reach  of  danger,  because  both  baptism  by  which 
you  have  been  sealed,  and  the  supper  which  you  daily  receive, 
have  excellent  promises,  while  at  the  same  time  you  despise 
the  Divine  goodness,  and  live  licentious  lives;  know  ye,  that 
the  Jews  also  were  not  destitute  of  such  symbols,  though  the 
Lord  inflicted  on  them  his  severest  judgments.  They  were 
baptised  in  their  passage  through  the  sea,  and  in  the  cloud  by 
which  they  were  protected  from  the  fervour  of  the  sun.  Our 
opponents  maintain  that  passage  to  have  been  a  carnal  baptism, 
corresponding  in  some  degree  to  our  spiritual  one.  But  if  that 
were  admitted,  the  apostle's  argument  would  not  proceed;  for 
his  design  here  is  to  prevent  Christians  from  supposing  that 
they  excel  the  Jews  in  the  privilege  of  baptism.   Nor  is  what 
immediately  follows,  that  they  "  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual 
ttieat;   and   did  all  drink  the  same  spiritual  drink,"  which  he 
interprets  of  Christ,  liable  to  this  cavil. 

VI.  To    invalidate    this    declaration  of   Paul,  they  object 
the  assertion  of  Christ;  "  Your  fathers  did  eat  manna  in  the 
wilderness,  and  are  dead.   If  any  man  eat  of  this  bread  (that 
is,  my  flesh)  he  shall  live  for  ever."  (d}  But  the  two  passages 
are  reconciled  without  any  difficulty.  The  Lord,  because  he 

(6)  Luke  i.  54,  72.          (c)  1  Cor.  x.  1—11.  (</)  John  vi.  49,  51. 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  461 

was  addressing  auditors  who  only  sought  to  be  satisfied  with 
corporeal  sustenance,  but  were  unconcerned  about  food  for  the 
soul,  accommodates  his  discourse  in  some  measure  to  their 
capacity,  and  institutes  a  comparison  between  manna  and  his 
own  body,  particularly  to  strike  their  senses.  They  demanded 
that  in  order  to  acquire  authority  to  himself,  he  should  prove 
his  power  by  some  miracle,  such  as  Moses  performed  in  the 
desert,  when  he  obtained  manna  from  heaven.  In  the  manna 
however,  they  had  no  idea  of  any  thing  but  a  remedy  for  cor- 
poreal hunger,  with  which  the  people  were  then  afflicted.  They 
did  not  penetrate  to  that  sublimer  mystery  of  which  Paul 
treats.  Christ  therefore,  to  demonstrate  the  superiority  of  the 
blessing  they  ought  to  expect  from  him,  to  that  which  they 
said  their  fathers  had  received  from  Moses,  makes  this  com- 
parison: If  it  be  in  your  opinion  a  great  and  memorable  mira- 
cle, that  the  Lord,  to  prevent  his  people  from  perishing  in 
the  wilderness,  supplied  them  by  means  of  Moses  with  heavenly 
food,  which  served  them  as  a  temporary  sustenance;  hence 
conclude,  how  much  more  excellent  that  food  must  be,  which 
communicates  immortality.  We  see  then  why  the  Lord  omitted 
the  principal  thing  designed  by  the  manna,  and  only  remarked 
the  lowest  advantage  that  resulted  from  it.  It  was  because  the 
Jews,  ?is  if  with  an  intention  of  reproaching  him,  contrasted 
him  with  Moses,  who  had  supplied  the  necessities  of  the  people 
with  manna.  He  replies,  that  he  is  the  dispenser  of  a  far 
superior  favour,  in  comparison  with  which  the  corporeal  suste- 
nance of  the  people,  the  sole  object  of  their  great  admiration., 
deserves  to  be  considered  as  nothing;  knowing  that  the  Lord, 
when  he  rained  manna  from  heaven,  not  only  poured  it  down 
for  the  support  of  their  bodies,  but  likewise  dispersed  it  as  a 
spiritual  mystery,  to  typify  that  spiritual  vivification  which  is 
experienced  in  Christ,  Paul  does  not  neglect  that  view  of  the 
subject  which  is  most  deserving  of  consideration.  Wherefore- 
it  is  certainly  and  clearly  proved,  that  the  same  promises  of  an 
eternal  and  heavenly  life,  with  which  the  Lord  now  favours 
us,  were  not  only  communicated  to  the  Jews,  but  even  sealed 
and  confirmed  by  sacraments  truly  spiritual.  This  subject  is 
argued  at  length  by  Augustine  against  Faustus  the  Mani- 
chsean. 


462  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  u. 

VII.  But  if  the  reader  would  prefer  a  recital  of  testimonies 
from  the  law  and  the  prophets,  to  shew  him  that  the  spiritual 
covenant  was  common  also  to  the  fathers,  as  we  have  heard 
from  Christ  and  his  apostles;   I  will  attend  to  this  wish,  and 
that  with  the  greater  readiness,  because  our  adversaries  will 
thereby  be  more  decisively  confuted,  and  will  have  no  pretence 
for  any  future  cavil.   I  will    begin  with   that  demonstration, 
which,  though    I    know   the   Anabaptists    will    superciliously 
deem  it  futile  and  almost  ridiculous,  yet  will  have  considerable 
weight  with  persons  of  docility  and  good  understanding.  And 
I  take  it  for  granted,  that  there  is  such  a  vital  efficacy  in  the 
divine  word  as  to  quicken  the  souls  of  all  those,  whom  God 
favours  with  a  participation  of  it.   For  the  assertion  of  Peter 
has  ever  been  true,  that  it  is  "an  incorruptible  seed,  which 
abideth  for  ever;"  (e)  as  he  also  concludes  from  the  words  of 
Isaiah,  (f)  Now  when  God  anciently  united  the  Jews  with 
himself  in  this  sacred  bond,  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  separated 
them  to  the  hope  of  eternal  life.  For  when  I  say,  that  they 
embraced  the  word  which  was  to  connect  them  more  closely 
with  God,  I  advert  not  to  that  general  species  of  communica- 
tion with  him,  which  is  diffused  through  heaven  and  earth, 
and  all  the  creatures  in  the  universe,  which  although  it  animates 
all  things  according  to  their  respective  natures,  yet  does  not 
deliver  from  the  necessity  of  corruption.   I  refer  to  that  par- 
ticular species  of  communication,  by  which  the  minds  of  the 
pious  are  enlightened  into  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  in  some 
measure  united  to  him.  Since  Adam,  Abel,  Noah,  Abraham, 
and  the  other  patriarchs  were  attached   to  God    by  such  an 
illumination  of  his  word,  I  maintain,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that 
they  had  an  entrance  into  his  immortal  kingdom.  For  it  was  a 
real  participation  of  God,  which  cannot  be  separated  from  the 
blessing  of  eternal  life. 

VIII.  If  the  subject  still  appear  involved  in  any  obscurity, 
let  us  proceed  to  the  very  form  of  the  covenant;  which  will 
not  only  satisfy  sober  minds,  but  will  abundantly  prove  the 
ignorance  of  them  who  endeavour  to  oppose  it.  For  the  Lord 
hath  always  made  this  covenant  with  his  servants:  "  I  will  be 

O)  1  Peter  i.  23,  25.  (/)  Isaiah  zl.  8. 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  463 

your  God,  and  ye  shall  be  my  people."  (£•)  These  expressions, 
according  to  the  common  explanation  of  the  prophets,  com- 
prehend life  and  salvation  and  consummate  felicity.  For  it  is 
not  without  reason  that  David  frequently  pronounces,  how 
"  blessed  is  the  nation  whose  God  is  the  Lord;  and  the  peo- 
ple whom  he  hath  chosen  for  his  own  inheritance:"  (A)  and 
that  not  on  account  of  any  earthly  felicity,  but  because  he  de- 
livers from  death,  perpetually  preserves,  and  attends  with  ever- 
lasting mercy,  those  whom  he  hath  taken  for  his  people.  As 
it  is  expressed  in  the  other  prophets,  "  Art  thou  not  from 
everlasting,  O  Lord  my  God,  mine  Holy  One?  we  shall  not 
die."  (z)  "The  Lord  is  our  Lawgiver,  the  Lord  is  our  King; 
he  will  save  us."  (£)  "  Happy  art  thou,  O  Israel:  who  is  like 
unto  thee,  O  people  saved  by  the  Lord?"  (/)  But  not  to 
labour  much  on  a  point  which  does  not  require  it,  we  are  fre- 
quently reminded  in  reading  the  prophets,  that  we  shall  have 
a  plenitude  of  all  blessings,  and  even  a  certainty  of  salvation, 
provided  the  Lord  be  our  God.  And  that  on  good  ground; 
for  if  his  face,  as  soon  as  it  has  begun  to  shine,  be  a  present 
pledge  of  salvation,  will  God  manifest  himself  to  any  man  with- 
out opening  the  treasures  of  salvation  to  him?  For  God  is  our 
God,  on  the  express  condition  of  his  "  walking  in  the  midst  of 
us,"  as  he  declared  by  Moses,  (m)  But  this  presence  of  his 
cannot  be  obtained  without  the  possession  of  life.  And  though 
nothing  further  had  been  expressed,  they  had  a  promise  of 
spiritual  life  sufficiently  clear  in  these  words:  "  I  am  the  Lord 
your  God."  (n)  For  he  announced  that  he  would  be  a  God, 
not  only  to  their  bodies,  but  chiefly  to  their  souls;  for  the  soul, 
unless  united  to  God  by  justification,  remains  alienated  from 
him  at  death.  But  let  that  union  take  place,  and  it  will  be 
attended  with  eternal  salvation. 

IX.  Moreover,  he  not  only  declared  himself  to  be  their 
God,  but  promised  to  continue  so  for  ever;  in  order  that  their 
hope,  not  contented  with  present  blessings,  might  be  extended 
to  eternity.  And  that  the  use  of  the  future  tense  conveyed  this 
idea  to  them,  appears  from  many  expressions,  where  the  faithful 

(.§•)  Lev.  xxvi.  12.  (A)  Psalm  cxliv.  15.  xxxiii.  12. 

(0  Hab.  i.  12.  O)  Isaiah  xxxiii.  22.        (/)  Deut.  xsxiii.  ?9. 

C»n)  Lev.  xxvi.  12.  (?»)  Exod.  vi.  7. 


464  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

console  themselves  not  only  amidst  present  evils,  but  for  futu- 
rity, that  God  will  never  desert  them.  But  in  regard  to  the 
second  part  of  the  promise,  he  still  more  plainly  encouraged 
them  concerning  the  extension  of  the  Divine  blessing  to  them 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  present  life:  "  I  will  be  a  God  to  thy 
seed  after  thee."  (0)  For  if  he  intended  to  declare  his  benevo- 
lence to  them  after  they  were  dead,  by  blessing  their  posterity, 
much  more  would  he  not  fail  of  manifesting  his  favour  towards 
themselves.  For  God  is  not  like  men,  who  transfer  their  love 
to  the  children  of  their  friends,  because  death  takes  away  their 
opportunity  of  performing  kind  offices  to  those  who  were  ob- 
jects of  their  regard.  But  God,  whose  beneficence  is  not 
interrupted  by  death,  deprives  not  the  dead  of  the  blessings  of 
his  mercy,  which  for  their  sakes  he  diffuses  through  a  thousand 
generations.  The  design  of  the  Lord  therefore  was  to  shew 
them,  by  a  clear  proof,  the  magnitude  and  abundance  of  his 
goodness  which  they  should  experience  after  death,  when  he 
described  its  exuberance  as  reaching  to  all  their  posterity.  (/>) 
Now  the  Lord  sealed  the  truth,  and,  as  it  were,  promised  the 
completion  of  this  promise,  when  he  called  himself  the  God  of 
Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  long  after  they  were  dead.  (^)  For 
what  is  implied  in  it?  Would  it  not  have  been  a  ridiculous 
appellation,  if  they  had  perished?  It  would  have  been  just  as 
if  he  had  said,  I  am  the  God  of  them  who  have  no  existence. 
Wherefore  the  evangelists  relate,  that  with  this  single  argu- 
ment the  Sadducees  were  so  embarrassed  by  Christ,  (r)  as  to  be 
unable  to  deny  that  Moses  had  given  a  testimony  in  favour  of 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead:  for  they  had  learned  from  Moses 
himself,  that  "  all  his  saints  are  in  his  hand."  (*)  Whence  it 
was  easy  to  infer,  that  death  had  not  annihilated  those,  whom 
he  who  is  the  arbiter  of  life  and  death  had  received  into  his 
guardianship  and  protection. 

X.  Now,  to  come  to  the  principal  point  on  which  this  con- 
troversy turns,  let  us  examine,  whether  the  faithful  themselves 
were  not  so  instructed  by  the  Lord,  as  to  be  sensible  that 
they  had  a  better  life  in  another  world,  and  to  meditate  on  that 
to  the  neglect  of  the  present.  In  the  first  place,  the  course  of 

(o)  Gen.  xvii.  7.  (/>)  Exod.  xx.  6.          (?)  Exod.  iii.  6. 

(r)  Matt.  xxii.  32 — 34.  Luke  xx.  37—40.      (*)  Deut.  xxxiii.  S- 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  465 

life  which  was  divinely  enjoined  them  was  a  perpetual  exercise, 
by  which  they  were  reminded  that  they  were  the  most  miser- 
able of  all  mankind,  if  they  had  no  happiness  but  in  the  present 
life.  Adam,  rendered  most  unhappy  by  the  mere  remembrance 
pf  his  lost  felicity,  finds  great  difficulty  in  supplying  his  wants 
by  anxious  toils,  (o)  Nor  does  the  Divine  malediction  confine 
itself  to  his  manual  labours;  he  experiences  the  bitterest  sorrow 
from  that  which  was  his  only  remaining  consolation.  Of  his 
two  sons,  he  .is  deprived  of  one  by  the  parricidal  hands  of  his 
brother;  the  survivor  is  deservedly  the  object  of  his  detestation 
and  abhorrence,  (w)  Abel,  cruelly  assassinated  in  the  flower 
of  his  age,  exhibits  an  example  of  human  calamity.  Naah, 
while  the  whole  world  securely  abandons  itself  to  sensual  de- 
lights, consumes  a  valuable  part  of  his  life  with  excessive 
fatigue  in  building  the  ark.  (.*)  His  escape  from  death  was 
attended  with  greater  distress  than  if  he  had  died  a  hundred 
times.  For  besides  that  the  ark  was,  as  it  were,  a  sepulchre  to 
him  for  ten  months,  (z/)  nothing  could  be  more  disagreeable 
than  to  be  detained  for  so  long  a  period  almost  immersed  ior 
the  ordure  of  animals.  After  having  escaped  from  such  great 
difficulties,  he  meets  with  a  fresh  occasion  of  grief.  He  sees 
himself  ridiculed  by  his  own  son,  and  is  constrained  to  pro- 
nounce a  curse  with  his  own  mouth  upon  him,  whom  by  the? 
great  goodness  of  God  he  had  received  safe  from  the  deluge.  (2) 
XI.  Abraham  is  one  that  ought  to  be  deemed  equal  to  a 
host,  if  we  consider  his  faith,  which  is  proposed  to  us  as  the 
best  standard  of  believing,  so  that  we  must  be  numbered  in  his 
family,  in  order  to  be  the  children  of  God.  Now  what  would 
be  more  absurd,  than  that  Abraham  should  be  the  father  of  all 
the  faithful,  and  not  possess  even  the  lowest  place  among  them? 
But  he  cannot  be  excluded  from  the  number,  nor  even  from 
the  most  honourable  station,  without  the  destruction  of  the 
whole  Church.  Now  with  respect  to  the  circumstances  of  his 
life;  when  he  is  first  called,  he  is  torn  by  the  Divine  command 
from  his  country,  his  parents,  and  his  friends,  the  enjoyment  of 
whom  is  supposed  to  give  life  its  principal  relish;  as  though 

(«)  Gen.  iii.  17— 19.          (w)  Gen.  iv.  8, 14.          (.v)  Gen.  vi.  14—21. 
(jO  Gen.  vii.  11.  via.  13.    (z)  Gen.  ix.  24,  25. 
VOL.  I.  3  N 


466  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

God  positively  intended  to  deprive  him  of  all  the  pleasures  oi 
life,  (t/)  As  soon  as  he  has  entered  the  land  in  which  he  is 
commanded  to  reside,  he  is  driven  from  it  by  a  famine.  He 
removes  in  search  of  relief  to  a  place  where,  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  his  own  safety,  he  finds  it  necessary  to  disown  his  wife, 
which  would  probably  be  more  afflictive  to  him  than  many 
deaths.  (£)  After  having  returned  to  the  country  of  his  resi- 
dence, he  is  again  expelled  from  it  by  famine.  What  kind  of 
felicity  is  it  to  dwell  in  such  a  country,  where  he  must  so  fre- 
quently experience  hunger,  and  even  perish  for  want  of  suste- 
nance, unless  he  leaves  it?  In  the  country  of  Abimelech,  he  is 
again  driven  to  the  same  necessity  of  purchasing  his  own  per- 
sonal safety  with  the  loss  of  his  wife,  (c)  While  he  wanders 
hither  and  thither  for  many  years  in  an  unsettled  state,  he  is 
compelled,  by  the  continual  quarrels  of  his  servants,  to  send 
away  his  nephew,  whom  he  regarded  as  a  son.  (^)  There  is  no 
doubt  that  he  bore  this  separation  just  as  he  would  the  ampu- 
tation of  one  of  his  limbs.  Soon  after  he  is  informed  that 
enemies  have  carried  him  away  captive,  (ji)  Whithersoever  he 
directs  his  course,  he  finds  himself  surrounded  by  savage  bar- 
barians, who  will  not  even  permit  him  to  drink  the  water  of 
wells  which  with  immense  labour  he  has  himself  digged.  For  he 
could  not  recover  the  use  of  them  from  the  king  of  Gerar,  if 
it  had  not  been  previously  prohibited,  (y)  When  he  arrives 
to  old  age  beyond  the  time  of  having  children,  he  experiences 
the  most  disagreeable  and  painful  circumstance  with  which  that 
age  is  attended.  (,§-)  He  sees  himself  destitute  of  posterity,  till, 
beyond  all  expectation,  he  begets  Ishmael;  whose  birth  he 
purchases  at  a  dear  rate,  while  he  is  wearied  with  the  reproaches 
of  Sarah,  just  as  if  he  encouraged  the  contumacy  of  his  maid- 
servant, and  so  were  himself  the  cause  of  the  domestic  disturb- 
ance. (A)  At  length  Isaac  is  born,  but  his  birth  is  attended 
with  this  condition,  that  Ishmael  the  first-born  must  be  ba- 
nished from  the  family,  and  abandoned  like  an  enemy,  (z) 
When  Isaac  is  left  alone  to  solace  the  good  man  in  his  declining 

(a)  Gen.  xii.  1.  (6)  Gen.  zll  10—15.  (c)  Gen.  xx.  1,  2. 

( d)  Gen.  xiii.  7—1 1.          (e)  Gen.  xiv.  12,  13.  (/)  Gen.  xxi.  25—30. 

(g )  G.en.  xv.  2.  (/»)  Gen.  xvi.  1—15.  (/)  Gen.  xxi. 2, 3,  10—14- 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  467 

years,  he  is  soon  after  commanded  to  sacrifice  him.  (£)  What 
can  the  human  mind  imagine  more  calamitous,  than  for  a 
father  to  become  the  executioner  of  his  own  son?  If  he  had 
been  taken  away  by  sickness,  every  one  would  have  thought 
the  aged  parent  unhappy  in  the  extreme,  as  having  had  a  son 
given  him  in  mockery,  at  the  loss  of  whom,  his  former  grief  on 
account  of  his  being  destitute  of  children  would  certainly  be 
redoubled.  If  he  had  been  massacred  by  some  stranger,  the 
calamity  would  have  been  greatly  increased  by  the  horrible 
nature  of  his  end:  but  to  be  slain  by  his  father's  own  hand 
exceeds  all  the  other  instances  of  distress.  In  short,  through 
the  whole  course  of  his  life  Abraham  was  so  driven  about  and 
afflicted,  that  if  any  one  wished  to  give  an  example  of  a  life 
full  of  calamity,  he  could  not  find  one  more  suitable.  Nor  let 
it  be  objected,  that  he  was  not  entirely  miserable,  because  he 
had  at  length  a  prosperous  deliverance  from  such  numerous 
and  extreme  dangers.  For  we  cannot  pronounce  his  to  be  a 
happy  life,  who  for  a  long  period  struggles  through  an  infinity 
of  difficulties;  but  his,  who  is  exempted  from  afflictions  and 
favoured  with  the  peaceful  enjoyment  of  present  blessings. 

XII.  Isaac,  who  is  afflicted  with  fewer  calamities,  yet  scarcely 
ever  enjoys  the  smallest  taste  of  pleasure.  He  also  experiences 
those  vexations,  which  permit  not  a  man  to  be  happy  in  the 
world.  Famine  drives  him  from  the  land  of  Canaan;  his  wife 
is  in  danger  of  being  torn  from  his  bosom;  his  neighbours  fre- 
quently harass  him,  and  take  every  method  of  distressing  him, 
so  that  he  also  is  constrained  to  contend  with  them  about 
water.  (/)  In  his  own  family  he  suffers  much  uneasiness  from 
Esau's  wives;  (m)  he  is  distressed  by  the  discord  of  his  sons, 
and  unable  to  remedy  that  great  evil,  but  by  the  exile  of  him 
to  whom  he  had  given  the  blessing,  (n)  With  respect  to  Jacob, 
he  is  an  eminent  example  of  nothing  but  extreme  infelicity. 
He  passes  his  childhood  at  home  amidst  the  menaces  and 
terrors  of  his  elder  brother,  from  which  he  is  at  length  con- 
strained to  depart,  (o)  A  fugitive  from  his  parents  and  his 
native  soil,  in  addition  to  the  bitterness  of  exile,  he  is  treated 
with  unkindness  by  his  uncle  Laban.  It  is  not  sufficient  for 

(*)  Gen.  xxii.  2.        (/)  Gen.  xxvi.  1,  7,  20,  21.    (m)  Gen.  xxvi.  34,  35. 
(n)  Gen.  xxviii.  5.      (o)  Gen.  xxvii.  41 — 45. 


4.68  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  u. 

him  to  endure  a  most  hard  and  severe  servitude  of  seven  years, 
but  he  is  fraudulently  deceived  in  a  wife.  (/>)  For  the  sake  of 
another  wife  he  must  enter  on  a  new  servitude,  (y)  in  which, 
as  he  himself  complains,  he  is  broiled  all  the  day  by  the  fervid 
rays  of  the  sun,  and  through  the  wakeful  night  benumbed  by 
the  icy  cold,  (r)  During  twenty  years,  which  he  spends  in 
such  extreme  hardships,  he  is  daily  afflicted  with  fresh  injuries 
from  his  father-in-law.  Nor  does  he  enjoy  tranquillity  in  his  own 
family,  which  he  sees  distracted  and  almost  torn  asunder  by  the 
animosities,  contentions,  and  rivalship  of  his  wives,  (.v)  When 
he  is  commanded  to  return  to  his  own  country,  he  is  obliged 
to  depart  in  a  manner  resembling  an  ignominious  flight.  Nor 
even  then  can  he  escape  the  iniquity  of  his  father-in-law,  but  is 
harassed  with  his  reproaches  and  insults  in  the  midst  of  his 
journey,  (t)  Immediately  after,  he  falls  into  a  much  greater 
difficulty.  For  as  he  advances  towards  his  brother,  he  has 
death  befor  his  eyes  in  as  many  forms  a$  a  cruel  and  inveterate 
enemy  can  possibly  contrive.  He  is  exceedingly  tormented 
and  distracted  with  dreadful  terrors,  while  he  is  expecting  the 
approach  of  his  brother;  when  he  sees  him,  he  falls  at  his  feet 
like  a  person  half  dead,  till  he  finds  him  more  reconciled  than 
he  could  have  ventured  to  hope.  (t>)  Moreover  on  his  first 
entrance  into  the  land,  he  is  deprived  of  Rachel  his  dearly  be- 
loved wife,  (ry)  Afterwards  he  hears  that  the  son  whom  he  had 
by  her,  and  whom  therefore  he  loved  above  the  rest,  is  torn 
asunder  by  wild  beasts.  The  severity  of  his  grief  on  account 
of  his  death  is  expressed  by  himself,  when  after  many  days  of 
mourning  he  obstinately  refuses  all  consolation,  saying,  "  I  will 
go  down  into  the  grave  unto  my  son  mourning."  (x)  Besides, 
the  rape  and  violation  of  his  daughter,  and  the  rashness  of 
his  sons  in  revenging  it,  which  not  only  made  him  an  object 
of  abhorrence  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  country,  but  put 
him  in  immediate  danger  of  being  massacred;  what  abundant 
sources  were  these  of  anxiety,  grief,  and  vexation?  (z/)  Then 
follows  the  horrible  crime  of  Reuben,  his  first-born,  than  which 
no  greater  affliction  could  bcfal  him.  For  if  the  pollution  of 

•f />)  Gen.  xxix.  20,  23,  25.      (?)  Gen.  xxix.  27.  (r)  Gen,  xxxi.  40,  41. 

(i')Cen.  xxx.  1.  (*)  Gen.  xxxi.  25,  36.  («)  Gen.  xxxii.  xxxiii. 

*'.i)  Gen.  xxxv.  19.  (*)  Gen.  xxxvii.  32—35.       (j)  Gen.  xxxiv. 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  469 

a  man's  wife  be  numbered  among  the  greatest  miseries,  what 
shall  we  say  of  it,  when  the  crime  is  perpetrated  by  his  own 
son?  (z)  Not  long  after,  his  family  is  contaminated  with  in- 
cest; (a)  so  that  such  a  number  of  disgraceful  occurrences  may 
be  expected  to  break  a  heart,  otherwise  very  firm  and  unbroken 
by  calamities.  Towards  the  end  of  life,  when  he  is  seeking  sus- 
tenance for  himself  and  family  in  a  season  of  famine,  his  ears 
are  wounded  by  the  report  of  a  new  calamity,  which  informs 
him  that  one  of  his  sons  is  detained  in  prison;  in  order  to  re- 
cover whom  he  is  obliged  to  entrust  his  darling  Benjamin  to 
the  care  of  the  rest.  (£)  Who  can  suppose  that  in  such  an  accu- 
mulation of  distresses  he  had  a  single  moment  of  respite? 
He  himself,  who  is  best  able  to  give  a  testimony  respecting 
himself,  declares  to  Pharaoh,  that  his  days  on  the  earth  have 
been  few  and  evil,  (c)  By  affirming  that  he  has  lived  in  continual 
miseries,  he  denies  that  he  has  enjoyed  that  prosperity  which 
the  Lord  had  promised  him.  Therefore,  either  Jacob  formed 
an  improper  and  ungrateful  estimate  of  the  favour  of  God,  or 
he  spake  the  truth  in  asserting  that  he  had  been  miserable  on 
the  earth.  If  his  affirmation  was  true,  it  follows  that  his  hope 
was  not  fixed  on  terrestrial  things. 

XIII.  If  these  holy  fathers  expected,  as  undoubtedly  they 
did  expect,  a  life  of  happiness  from  the  hand  of  God,  they  both 
knew  and  contemplated  a  different  kind  of  blessedness  from 
that  of  this  terrestrial  life.  This  the  apostle  very  beautifully 
shews,  when  he  says,  "  By  faith  Abraham  sojourned  in  the 
land  of  promise,  as  in  a  strange  country,  dwelling  in  taber- 
nacles with  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  heirs  with  him  of  the  same 
promise:  for  he  looked  for  a  city  which  hath  foundations, 
whose  ^builder  and  maker  is  God.  These  all  died  in  faith,  not 
having  received  the  promises,  but  having  seen,  them  afar  off, 
and  were  persuaded  of  them,  and  embraced  them,  and  con- 
fessed that  they  were  strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth.  For 
they  that  say  such  things  declare  plainly  that  they  seek  a 
country.  And  "truly  if  they  had  been  mindful  of  that  country 
from  whence  they  came  out,  they  might  have  had  opportunity 
to  have  returned.  But  now  they  desire  a  better  country,  that 

(2)  Gen.  xxxv.  22.  (a)  Gen.  xxxviii.  13 — 18. 

(b)  Gen.  xlii.  (c)  Gen.  xlvii.  9- 


470  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

is,  an  heavenly;  wherefore  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called 
their  God:  for  he  hath  prepared  for  them  a  city."  (</)  For 
they  would  have  been  stupid  beyond  all  comparison,  so  steadily 
to  follow  promises,  of  which  there  appeared  no  hope  on  earth, 
unless  they  had  expected  the  completion  of  them  in  another 
world.  But  the  apostle  with  great  force  principally  insists  on 
this;  that  they  called  the  present  life  a  pilgrimage,  as  is  also 
stated  by  Moses,  (e}  For  if  they  were  strangers  and  sojourners 
in  the  land  of  Canaan,  what  became  of  the  Divine  promise,  by 
which  they  had  been  appointed  heirs  of  it?  This  manifestly 
implies  therefore  that  the  promise,  which  the  Lord  had  given 
them  concerning  the  possession  of  it,  related  to  something 
more  remote.  Wherefore  they  never  purchased  a  foot  of  land 
in  Canaan,  except  for  a  sepulchre;  by  which  they  testified  that 
they  had  no  hope  of  enjoying  the  benefit  of  the  promise  till 
after  death.  And  this  is  the  reason  why  Jacob  thought  it  so 
exceedingly  desirable  to  be  buried  there,  that  he  made  his  son 
Joseph  promise  it  to  him  by  oath;  (y)  and  why  Joseph  com- 
manded that  his  bones  should  be  removed  thither,  even  several 
ages  after  his  death,  when  they  would  have  been  long  reduced 
to  ashes.  (§•) 

XIV.  In  short,  it  evidently  appears,  that  in  all  the  pursuits 
of  life  they  kept  in  view  the  blessedness  of  the  future  state. 
For  why  should  Jacob  have  so  eagerly  desired,  and  exposed 
himself  to  such  danger  in  endeavouring  to  obtain,  the  primo- 
geniture, which  would  occasion  his  exile  and  almost  his  rejec- 
tion from  his  family,  but  from  which  he  could  derive  no  possi- 
ble benefit,  unless  he  had  his  views  fixed  on  a  nobler  blessing? 
And  that  such  was  his  view  he  declared  in  these  words, 
which  he  uttered  with  his  expiring  breath;  "  I  have  waited 
for  thy  salvation,  O  Lord."  (A)  What  salvation  could  he 
expect,  when  he  felt  himself  about  to  expire,  unless  he  had 
seen  in  death  the  commencement  of  a  new  life?  But  why 
do  we  dispute  concerning  the  saints  and  children  of  God, 
when  even  one,  who  in  other  respects  endeavoured  to  oppose 
the  truth,  was  not  entirely  destitute  of  such  a  knowledge? 
Tor  what  was  the  meaning  of  Balaam,  when  he  said,  "  Let 

(d)  Heb.  xi.  9,  &c.  (e)  Gen.  xlvii.  9.  (/)  Gen.  xlvii.  30. 

(?)  Gen.  1.  2?  (A)  Gen.  xlix.  18. 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  471 

me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last  end  be  like 
his,"  (z)  but  the  same  which  David  afterwards  expressed  in  the 
following  words:  "  Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the 
death  of  his  saints."  (^)  "  Evil  shall  slay  the  wicked."  (/)  If 
death  were  the  ultimate  bound  of  human  existence,  no  differ- 
ence could  be  observed  in  it  between  the  righteous  and  the 
impious;  the  distinction  between  them  consists  in  the  different 
destinies  which  await  them  after  death. 

XV.  We  have  not  yet  proceeded  beyond  Moses;  whose 
only  office,  our  opponents  allege,  was  to  persuade  a  carnal 
people  to  the  worship  of  God  by  the  fertility  of  the  land,  and 
an  abundance  of  all  things:  and  yet,  unless  any  one  wilfully 
rejects  the  evidence  presented  to  him,  we  already  discover  a 
clear  declaration  of  a  spiritual  covenant.  But  if  we  proceed 
to  the  prophets,  there  we  have  the  fullest  revelation  both  of 
eternal  life  and  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  In  the  first  place, 
David,  who  as  he  was  prior  to  the  rest  in  order  of  time,  so 
according  to  the  method  of  the  Divine  dispensation,  he  express- 
ed the  heavenly  mysteries  with  more  obscurity  than  they  did, 
yet  with  what  great  perspicuity  and  certainty  he  directs  all 
his  writings  to  this  end?  What  estimate  he  formed  of  his 
terrestrial  habitation,  the  following  passage  declares:  "  I  am 
a  stranger  with  thee,  and  a  sojourner,  as  all  my  fathers  were. 
Verily,  every  man  at  his  best  estate  is  altogether  vanity. 
Surely  every  man  walketh  in  a  vain  show.  And  now,  Lord, 
what  wait  I  for?  my  hope  is  in  thee."  (m)  He  who,  after 
having  confessed  that  there  is  nothing  substantial  or  perma- 
nent on  earth,  still  retains  the  constancy  of  his  hope  in  God, 
certainly  contemplates  the  felicity  reserved  for  him  in  another 
world.  To  this  contemplation  he  frequently  recals  the  faithful., 
whenever  he  wishes  to  afford  them  true  consolation.  For  in 
another  place,  after  having  spoken  of  the  brevity  and  the  tran- 
sitory nature  of  human  life,  he  adds,  "  But  the  mercy  of  the 
Lord  is,from  everlasting  to  everlasting  upon  them  that  fear 
him."  (n)  Similar  to  which  is  the  following:  "Of  old  hast 
thou  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth:  and  the  heavens  are 
the  work  of  thy  hands.  They  shall  perish,  but  thou  shalt 

(i)  Numb,  xxiii.  10.  (fc)  Psalm  cxvi.  15.     (/)  Psalm  xxxiv.  21. 

(m)  Psalm  xxxix.  12.  5, 6, 7.      (;«)  Psalm  ciii.  IT. 


472  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

endure:  yea,  all  of  them  shall  wax  old  like  a  garment;  as  a 
vesture  shalt  thou  change  them,  and  they  shall  be  changed: 
but  thou  art  the  same,  and  thy  years  shall  have  no  end.  The 
children  of  thy  servants  shall  continue,  and  their  seed  shall 
be  established  before  thee."  (<?)  If,  notwithstanding  the  destruc- 
tion of  heaven  and  earth,  the  pious  cease  not  to  be  established 
before  the  Lord,  it  follows  that  their  salvation  is  connected 
with  his  eternity.  But  this  hope  cannot  be  at  all  supported, 
unless  it  rest  on  the  promise  which  we  find  in  Isaiah;  "  The 
heaven,"  saith  the  Lord,  "  shall  vanish  away  like  smoke,  and 
the  earth  shall  wax  old  like  a  garment,  and  they  that  dwell 
therein  shall  die  in  like  manner:  but  my  salvation  shall  be 
for  ever,  and  my  righteousness  shall  not  be  abolished:"  (/>) 
where  perpetuity  is  ascribed  to  righteousness  and  salvation, 
considered  not  as  resident  in  God,  but  as  experienced  by 
men. 

XVI.  Nor  can  what  he  frequently  says  concerning  the 
prosperity  of  the  faithful  be  understood  in  any  other  sense  than 
as  referring  to  the  manifestation  of  the^glory  of  heaven.  Such 
are  the  following  passages:  "  The  Lord  preserveth  the  souls 
of  his  saints;  he  delivereth  them  out  of  the  hand  of  the  wicked. 
Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for  the  upright 
in  heart."  (y)  Again:  "  The  righteousness  of  the  righteous 
endureth  for  ever;  his  horn  shall  be  exalted  with  honour.  The 
desire  of  the  wicked  shall  perish."  (r)  Again:  "  Surely  the 
righteous  shall  give  thanks  unto  thy  name:  the  upright  shall 
dwell  in  thy  presence."  (*)  Again:  "The  righteous  shall  be 
had  in  everlasting  remembrance."  (£)  Again:  "  The  Lord 
redeemeth  the  soul  of  his  servants."  (»)  For  the  Lord  fre- 
quently leaves  his  servants  to  the  rage  of  the  impious,  not 
only  to  be  harassed,  but  to  be  torn  asunder  and  ruined;  he 
suffers  good  men  to  languish  in  obscurity  and  meanness, 
while  the  impious  are  almost  as  glorious  as  the  stars;  nor 
does  he  exhilarate  the  faithful  with  the  light  of  his  countenance, 
so  that  they  can  enjoy  any  lasting  pleasure.  Wherefore  David 
does  not  dissemble  that,  if  the  faithful  fix  their  eyes  on  the  present 

(o)  Psalm  cii.  25—28.  (/>)  Isaiah  li.  6.  (?)  Psalm  xcvii.  10,  11. 

(r)  Psalm  cxii.  9,  10.  (*)  Psalm  cxl.  13.        (0  Psalm  cxii.  6. 

(t>)  Psalm  xxxiv.  2?. 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  4-rs 

state  of  things,  they  will  be  most  grievously  tempted  with  au 
apprehension  lest  innocence  should  obtain  from  God  neither 
favour  nor  reward.  Thus  does  impiety  in  most  cases  prosper  and 
flourish,  while  the  pious  are  oppressed  with  ignominy,  poverty, 
contempt,  and  distress  of  every  kind.  "  My  feet,"  says  he, 
**  were  almost  gone;  my  steps  had  well  nigh  slipped.  For  I 
was  envious  at  the  foolish,  when  I  saw  the  prosperity  of  the 
wicked."  (rii)  At  length  he  concludes  his  account  of  them; 
"  When  I  thought  to  know  this,  it  was  too  painful  for  me; 
until  I  went  into  the  sanctuary  of  God;  then  understood  I 
their  end."  (.r) 

XVII.  We  may  learn  then,  even  from  this  confession  of 
David,  that  the  holy  fathers  under  the  Old  Testament  were 
not  ignorant,  that  God  rarely  or  never  in  this  world  gives  his 
servants  those  things  which  he  promises  them,  and  that  there- 
fore they  elevated  their  minds  to  the  sanctuary  of  God,  where 
they  had  a  treasure  in  reserve  which  is  not  visible  in  the 
present  life.  This  sanctuary  was  the  last  judgment,  which,  not 
being  discernible  by  their  eyes,  they  were  contented  to  appre- 
hend by  faith.  Relying  on  this  confidence,  whatever  events 
might  bcfal  them  in  the  world,  they  nevertheless  had  no  doubt 
that  there  would  come  a  time  when  the  Divine  promises  would 
be  fulfilled.  This  is  evident  from  the  following  passages:  "  I 
will  behold  thy  face  in  righteousness:  I  shall  be  satisfied,  when 
I  awake,  with  thy  likeness."  (z/)  Again:  "  I  am  like  a  green 
olive-tree  in  the  house  of  God."  (z)  Again:  "  The  righteous 
shall  flourish  like  the  palm-tree:  he  shall  grow  like  a  cedar 
in  Lebanon.  Those  that  be  planted  in  the  house  of  the  Lord 
shall  flourish  in  the  courts  of  our  God.  They  shall  still  bring 
forth  fruit  in  old  age;  they  shall  be  fat  and  flourishing." 
He  had  just  before  said,  "  O  Lord,  how  great  are  thy  works! 
and  thy  thoughts  are  very  deep.  When  the  wicked  spring  as 
the  grass,  and  when  all  the  workers  of  iniquity  do  flourish; 
it  is  that  they  shall  be  destroyed  for  ever."  (a)  Where  can  this 
beauty  and  gracefulness  of  the  faithful  be  found,  but  where 
the  appearance  of  this  world  has  been  reversed  by  the  mani- 
festation of  the  kingdom  of  God?  When  they  could  turn  their 

(TO)  Psalm  Ixxiii.  2.         (.r)  Psalm  Ixxiii.  16,  17.      (y)  Psalm  xvii.  15. 
(:)  Psalm lii.  8.  (a)  Psalm  xcii.  13-14.  5,  7. 

VOL,  I.  30 


474  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

eyes  towards  that  eternity,  despising  the  momentary  rigour  of 
present  calamities,  they  securely  broke  forth  into  the  following 
expressions:  "  The  Lord  shall  never  suffer  the  righteous  to 
be  moved.  But  thou,  O  God,  shalt  bring  them"  (wicked  men) 
"  down  into  the  pit  of  destruction."  (6)  Where,  in  this  world, 
is  the  pit  of  destruction  to  absorb  the  wicked,  as  an  instance 
of  whose  felicity  it  is  mentioned  in  another  place,  that  without 
languishing  for  any  long  time  "  they  go  down  to  the  grave 
in  a  moment?"  (c)  Where  is  that  great  stability  of  the  saints, 
whom  David  himself,  in  the  language  of  complaint,  frequently 
represents  as  not  only  troubled  but  oppressed  and  consumed? 
He  certainly  had  in  view,  not  any  thing  that  results  from  the 
agitations  of  the  world,  which  are  even  more  tumultuous  than 
those  of  the  sea,  but  what  will  be  accomplished  by  the  Lord, 
when  he  shall  one  day  sit  in  judgment  to  fix  the  everlasting 
destiny  of  heaven  and  earth.  This  appears  from  another 
Psalm  in  which  he  gives  the  following  elegant  description: 
"  They  that  trust  in  their  wealth,  and  boast  themselves  in  the 
multitude  of  their  riches;  none  of  them  can  by  any  means  re- 
deem his  brother,  nor  give  to  God  a  ransom  for  him.  For  he 
seeth  that  wise  men  die,  likewise  the  fool  and  the  brutish  per- 
son perish,  and  leave  their  wealth  to  others.  Their  inward 
thought  is,  that  their  houses  shall  continue  for  ever,  and  their 
dwelling-places  to  all  generations:  they  call  their  lands  after 
their  own  names.  Nevertheless  man  being  in  honour  abideth 
not:  he  is  like  the  beasts  that  perish.  This  their  way  is  their 
folly:  yet  their  posterity  approve  their  sayings.  Like  sheep 
they  are  laid  in  the  grave;  death  shall  feed  on  them;  and  the 
upright  shall  have  dominion  over  them  in  the  morning;  and 
their  beauty  shall  consume  in  the  grave  from  their  dwelling."  (d) 
In  the  first  place,  this  derision  of  fools,  for  placing  their  de- 
pendence on  the  mutable  and  transitory  blessings  of  the  world, 
shews  that  the  wise  ought  to  seek  a  very  different  felicity.  But 
he  more  evidently  discloses  the  mystery  of  the  resurrection, 
when  he  establishes  the  reign  of  the  pious  amidst  the  ruin  and 
destruction  of  the  wicked.  For  what  shall  we  understand  by 
"  the  morning"  which  he  mentions,  but  the  revelation  of  a 
new  life  commencing  after  the  conclusion  ot  the  present? 

(6)  Psalm  lv.  22,  23-  (c)  Job  xxi.  13.        (<f)  Psalm  xlij.  6,  &c 


QHAP.  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  475 

XVIII.  Hence    arose    that   reflection,    which    served    the 
faithful  as  a  consolation  under   their  miseries,  and  a  remedy 
for  their  sufferings:  "  The  anger  of  the  Lord  endureth  but  a 
moment;  in  his  favour  is  life."  (e)  How  did  they  limit  their 
afflictions  to  a  moment,  who  were  afflicted  all  their  life-time? 
When   did  they  perceive    so   long  a  duration  of  the   Divine 
goodness,  of  which  they  had    scarcely  the   smallest  taste?   If 
their  views  had  been  confined  to  the  earth,  they  could  have 
made  no  such  discover);  but  as  they  directed  their  eyes  to- 
wards heaven,  they  perceived,  that  the  afflictions  with  which 
the  Lord  exercises  his  saints  are  but  "  for  a  small  moment," 
and  that  the  "mercies"  with  which  he   "gathers"  them  are 
"  everlasting."  (y)  On  the  other  hand,  they  foresaw  the  eternal 
and  never-ending  perdition   of  the   impious,   who   had  been 
happy,    as    in   a  dream,    for   a   single    day.    Hence    the    fol- 
lowing   sentiments:    "  The    memory   of  the  just    is    blessed: 
but  the  name  of  the    wicked    shall    rot."  (£•)    "Precious    in 
the  sight  of  the  Lord  is  the  death  of  his  saints."  (A)  Also  in 
Samuel:  "  The  Lord  will  keep  the  feet  of  his  saints,  and  the 
wicked   shall   be   silent  in   darkness."  (z)    These   expressions 
suggest  to  us,  that  they  well  knew,  that  whatever  vicissitudes 
may  befal  the  saints,  yet  their  last  end  will  be  life  and  salva- 
tion; and  that  the  prosperity  of  the  impious  is  a  pleasant  path 
which  gradually  leads  to  the  gulf  of  everlasting  death.  There- 
fore they  called  the  death  of  such  the  "  destruction  of  the  uncir- 
cumcised,"  (/£)  as  of  those  from  whom  all  hope  of  resurrection 
had  been   cut    off.   Wherefore   David    could  not    conceive    a 
more  grievous  imprecation  than  this:  "  Let  them  be  blotted 
out  of  the  book  of  the  living,  and  not  be  written  with  the 
righteous."  (/) 

XIX.  But  the  following  declaration  of  Job  is  remarkable 
beyond  all  others:  "  I  know  that  my  Redeemer   liveth,  and 
that  he   shall   stand  at  the   latter  day  upon   the   earth:    and 
though   after  my  skin   worms   destroy  this   body,  yet  in  my 
flesh  shall  I  see  God:  whom  I  shall  see  for  myself,  and  mine 
eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another."  (»z)  Some  who  wish  to 

(e)  Psalm  xxx.  5.  (/)  Isaiah  liv.  7,  8.    (g)  Prov.  x-  7. 

(A)  Psalm  cxvi.  15.        («)  1  Sam.  ii.  9.  (*)  Ezek.  xxviii.  10.  xxxi.  18. 

CO  Psalm  Ixix.  28-          (m,)  Job  six.  25,  8cc. 


476  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

display  their  critical  sagacity,  cavil  that  this  is  not  to  be  under- 
stood of  the  final  resurrection,  but  even  of  the  first  day 
on  which  Job  expected  God  to  be  more  propitious  to  him. 
Though  we  partly  Concede  this,  we  shall  extort  an  acknow- 
ledgment from  them,  whether  they  are  willing  or  not,  that 
Job  could  never  have  attained  to  such  an  enlarged  hope, 
if  his  thoughts  had  been  confined  to  the  earth.  We  must 
therefore  be  obliged  to  confess  that  he,  who  saw  that  his 
Redeemer  would  be  present  with  him  even  when  lying  in  the 
sepulchre,  must  have  elevated  his  views  to  a  future  immortality. 
For  to  them,  who  think  only  of  the  present  life,  death  is  a 
source  of  extreme  despair,  which  however  could  not  annihilate 
his  hope.  "Though  he  slay  me,"  said  he,  "yet  will  I  trust 
in  him."  (ri)  Nor  let  any  trifler  here  object,  that  these  were 
the  expressions  of  a  few  persons,  and  are  far  from  furnishing 
proof  that  such  a  doctrine  was  current  among  the  Jews.  I 
will  immediately  reply,  that  these  few  persons  did  not  in 
these  declarations  reveal  any  recondite  wisdom,  in  which  only 
superior  understandings  were  separately  and  privately  in- 
structed; but  that  the  Holy  Spirit  having  constituted  them 
teachers  of  the  people,  they  publicly  promulgated  the  Divine 
mysteries  which  were  to  be  generally  received,  and  to  be  the 
principles  of  the  popular  religion.  When  we  hear  the  public 
oracles  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  therefore,  in  which  he  hath  so 
clearly  and  evidently  spoken  of  the  spiritual  life  in  the  Jewish 
church,  it  would  be  intolerable  perverseness  to  apply  them  en- 
tirely to  the  carnal  covenant,  in  which  no  mention  is  made  but 
of  the  earth  and  earthly  opulence. 

XX.  If  we  descend  to  the  later  prophets,  there  we  may 
freely  expatiate  as  quite  at  home.  For  if  it  was  not  difficult  to 
prove  our  point  from  David,  Job,  and  Samuel,  we  shall  do 
it  there  with  much  greater  facility.  For  this  is  the  order  and 
economy  which  God  observed  in  dispensing  the  covenant  of 
his  mercy,  that  as  the  course  of  time  accelerated  the  period 
of  its  full  exhibition,  he  illustrated  it  from  day  to  day  with 
additional  revelations.  Therefore  in  the  beginning,  when  the 
first  promise  was  given  to  Adam,  it  was  like  the  kindling  of 

(n)  Job  xiii.  15. 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  477 

some  feeble  sparks.  Subsequent  accessions  caused  a  consider- 
able enlargement  of  the  light,  which  continued  to  increase 
more  and  more,  and  diffused  its  splendour  through  a  wide 
extent,  till  at  length,  every  cloud  being  dissipated,  Christ,  the 
Sun  of  righteousness,  completely  illuminated  the  whole  world. 
There  is  no  reason  to  fear  therefore,  if  we  want  the  suffrages 
of  the  prophets  in  support  of  our  cause,  that  they  will  fail  us. 
But  as  I  perceive  it  would  be  a  very  extensive  field,  which 
would  engross  more  of  our  attention  than  the  nature  of  our 
design  will  admit,  for  it  would  furnish  matter  for  a  large  vo- 
lume; and  as  I  also  think  that  by  what  has  been  already  said, 
I  have  prepared  the  way  even  for  a  reader  of  small  penetration 
to  proceed  without  any  difficulties,  I  shall  abstain  from  a  pro- 
lixity, which  at  present  is  not  very  necessary.  I  shall  only  cau- 
tion the  reader  to  advance  with  the  clue  which  we  have  put 
into  his  hand;  namely,  that  whenever  the  prophets  mention 
the  blessedness  of  the  faithful,  scarcely  any  vestiges  of  which 
are  discernible  in  the  present  life,  he  should  recur  to  this  dis- 
tinction; that  in  order  to  the  better  elucidation  of  the  Divine 
goodness,  the  prophets  represented  it  to  the  people  in  a  figura- 
tive manner;  but  that  they  gave  such  a  representation  of  it 
as  would  withdraw  the  mind  from  earth  and  time,  and  the 
elements  of  this  world,  all  which  must  ere  long  perish,  and 
would  necessarily  excite  to  a  contemplation  of  the  felicity  of 
the  future  spiritual  life. 

XXI.  We  will  content  ourselves  with  one  example.  When, 
the  Israelites,  after  being  carried  to  Babylon,  perceived  how 
very  much  their  dispersion  resembled  a  death;  they  could 
scarcely  be  convinced  that  the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel  concern- 
ing their  restitution  (<?)  was  not  a  mere  fable;  for  they  con- 
sidered it  in  the  same  light,  as  if  he  had  announced,  that 
putrid  carcases  would  be  restored  to  life.  The  Lord,  in  order 
to  shew  that  even  that  difficulty  would  not  prevent  him  from 
displaying  his  beneficence,  gave  the  prophet  a  vision  of  a  field 
full  of  dry  bones,  which  he  instantaneously  restored  to  life 
and  vigour  solely  by  the  power  of  his  word.  The  vision  served 
indeed  to  correct  the  existing  incredulity;  but  at  the  same 

(«)  Ezek. 


478  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

time  it  reminded  the  Jews,  how  far  the  power  of  the  Lord 
extended  beyond  the  restoration  of  the  people,  since  the  mere 
expression  of  his  will  so  easily  re-animated  the  dry  and  dis- 
persed bones.  Wherefore  you  may  properly  compare  that 
passage  with  another  of  Isaiah:  "  Thy  dead  men  shall  live, 
together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise.  Awake  and  sing, 
ye  that  dwell  in  dust:  for  thy  dew  is  as  the  dew  of  herbs,  and 
the  earth  shall  cast  out  the  dead.  Come,  my  people,  enter 
thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee:  hide 
thyself  as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be 
overpast.  For,  behold,  the  Lord  cometh  out  of  his  place  to 
punish  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  for  their  iniquity:  the 
earth  also  shall  disclose  her  blood,  and  shall  no  more  cover 
her  slain."  (/>) 

XXII.  It  would  be  absurd,  however,  to  attempt  to  reduce 
every  passage   to   such  a  canon  of  interpretation.    For  there 
are  some  places,  which  shew  without  any  disguise  the  future 
immortality  which  awaits  the  faithful  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
Such  are  some  that  we  have  recited,  and  such  are  many  others, 
but    particularly    these    two:    one    in    Isaiah:    "  As    the    new 
heavens  and  the  new  earth,  which  I  will  make,  shall  remain 
before  me,  saith  the  Lord,  so  shall  your  seed  and  your  name 
remain.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  from  one  new  moon 
to  another,  and  from  one   sabbath  to  another,  shall  all  flesh 
come  to  worship  before  me,  saith  the  Lord.   And  they  shall 
go   forth,  and  look  upon  the  carcases  of  the  men  that  have 
transgressed  against  me:  for  their  worm  shall  not  die,  neither 
shall  their   fire   be   quenched."  (y)    And   another   in    Daniel: 
"  At  that  time  shall  Michael  stand  up,  the  great  prince  which 
standeth  for  the  children  of  thy  people:  and  there  shall  be  a 
time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  was   since   there  was  a  nation 
even  to  that  s?.me  time:  and  at  that  time  thy  people  shall  be 
delivered,  every  one  that  shall  be  found  written  In  the  book. 
And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall 
awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  ever- 
lasting contempt."  (r) 

XXIII.  Now   the  two   remaining  points,  that  the  fathers 

ty)  Isaiah  xxvi.  19—21.        (?)  Isaiah  Ixvi.  22—24.        (r)  Dan.  xii.  1,  2. 


CHAP,  x.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  479 

had  Christ  as  the  pledge  of  their  covenant,  and  that  they  re- 
posed in  him  all  their  confidence  of  the  blessing,  being  less 
controvertible  and  more  plain,  I  shall  take  no  pains  to  prove 
them.  We  may  safely  conclude  therefore,  what  all  the  machina- 
tions of  the  devil  can  never  subvert,  that  the  Old  Testament, 
or  covenant  which  the  Lord  made  with  the  Israelitish  nation, 
was  not  limited  to  terrestrial  things,  but  contained  a  promise 
of  spiritual  and  eternal  life;  the  expectation  of  which  must 
have  been  impressed  on  the  minds  of  all  who  truly  consented 
to  the  covenant.  Then  let  us  drive  far  away  from  us  this 
absurd  and  pernicious  notion,  either  that  the  Lord  proposed 
nothing  else  to  the  Jews,  or  that  the  Jews  sought  nothing 
else,  but  an  abundance  of  food,  carnal  delights,  flourishing 
wealth,  external  power,  a  numerous  offspring,  and  whatever 
is  esteemed  valuable  by  a  natural  man.  For  under  the  pre- 
sent dispensation  Christ  promises  to  his  people  no  other  king- 
dom of  heaven,  than  where  they  may  sit  down  with  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob;  (s)  and  Peter  asserted  the  Jews  in  his  time 
to  be  heirs  of  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  when  he  said  that  "  they 
were  the  children  of  the  prophets,  and  of  the  covenant  which 
God  made  with  their  fathers."  (#)  And  that  this  might  not 
only  be  testified  in  words,  the  Lord  also  proved  it  by  a  matter 
of  fact.  For  on  the  day  in  which  he  rose  from  the  dead  he 
honoured  many  of  the  saints  with  a  participation  of  his  resur- 
rection, and  caused  them  to  appear  in  the  city;  (t>)  thus  fur- 
nishing a  certain  assurance  that  whatever  he  did  and  suffered 
for  the  acquisition  of  eternal  salvation,  belonged  to  the  faithful 
of  the  Old  Testament  as  much  as  to  us.  For,  as  Peter  de- 
clares, they  also  were  endued  with  the  same  Spirit,  who  is  the 
author  of  our  regeneration  to  life,  (w)  When  we  are  informed 
that  the  same  Spirit,  which  is  as  it  were  a  spark  of  immor- 
tality in  us,  and  is  therefore  called  in  one  place  "the  earnest 
of  our  inheritance,"  (#)  dwelt  in  a  similar  manner  in  them, 
how  can  we  dare  to  deprive  them  of  the  inheritance  of  eternal 
life?  It  is  therefore  the  more  surprising,  that  the  Sadducees 
formerly  fell  into  such  stupidity  as  to  deny  the  resurrection, 
and  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  since  they  had  proofs  of  these 

(*)  Matt.  viii.  11.  (*)  Acts  iii.  25.  («)  Matt,  xxvii.  52. 

(w)  Acts  xv.  8.  (r)  Eph.  i.  14. 


48*  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

points  from  such  clear  testimonies  of  Scripture.  And  the  folly 
of  the  whole  nation  of  the  Jews  in  the  present  age,  in  expect- 
ing an  earthly  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  would  be  equally  as 
extraordinary,  had  not  the  Scriptures  long  before  predicted 
that  they  would  thus  be  punished  for  their  rejection  of  the 
gospel.  For  it  was  consistent  with  the  righteous  judgment 
of  God  to  strike  with  blindness  the  minds  of  those,  who,  re- 
jecting the  light  of  heaven  when  presented  to  them,  kept 
themselves  in  voluntary  darkness.  Therefore  they  read  Moses, 
and  assiduously  turn  over  his  pages,  but  are  prevented  by  an 
interposing  veil  from  perceiving  the  light  which  beams  in  his 
countenance;  (z/)  and  thus  it  will  remain  covered  and  concealed 
to  them,  till  they  are  converted  to  Christ,  from  whom  they 
now  endeavour  as  much  as  they  can  to  withdraw  and  divert  it. 


vwvwvwwv 

CHAPTER  XL 

The  Difference  of  the  Two  Testaments. 

W  HAT  then,  it  will  be  said,  will  there  be  no  difference 
left  between  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New?  and  what  be- 
comes of  all  those  passages  of  Scripture,  where  they  are  com- 
pared together  as  things  that  are  different?  I  readily  admit 
the  differences  which  are  mentioned  in  the  Scripture,  but  I 
maintain  that  they  derogate  nothing  from  the  unity  already 
established;  as  will  be  seen  when  we  have  discussed  them  in 
proper  order.  But  the  principal  differences,  as  far  as  my  ob- 
servation or  memory  extends,  are  four  in  number.  To  which  if 
any  one  choose  to  add  a  fifth,  I  shall  not  make  the  least  objection. 
I  assert,  and  engage  to  demonstrate,  that  all  these  are  such  as 
pertain  rather  to  the  mode  of  administration,  than  to  the 
substance.  In  this  view,  they  will  not  prevent  the  promises  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testament  from  remaining  the  same,  and 
the  promises  of  both  testaments  from  having  in  Christ  the  same 
foundation.  Now  the  first  difference  is,  that  although  it  was 

( v)  2  Cor.  ill.  14—16. 


CHAP,  xi.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  481 

always  the  will  of  the  Lord  that  the  minds  of  his  people  should 
be  directed,  and  their  hearts  elevated,  towards  the  celestial  in- 
heritance; yet  in  order  that  they  might  be  the  better  encou- 
raged to  hope  for  it,  he  anciently  exhibited  it  for  their  con- 
templation and  partial  enjoyment  under  the  figures  of  terrestrial 
blessings.   Now  having  by  the  Gospel  more  clearly  and  expli- 
citly revealed  the  grace  of  the  future  life,  he  leaves  the  inferior 
mode  of  instruction  which  he  used  with  the  Israelites,  and 
directs  our  minds  to  the  immediate  contemplation  of  it.  Those 
who  overlook  this  design  of  God,  suppose  that  the  ancients 
ascended  no  higher  than  the  corporeal  blessings  which  were 
promised  to  them.  They  so  frequently  hear  the  land  of  Canaan 
mentioned  as  the  eminent,  and  indeed  the  only,  reward  for  the 
observers  of  the  Divine  law.  They  hear  that  God  threatens 
the  transgressors  of  this  law  with  nothing  more  severe  than 
being  expelled  from  the  possession  of  that  country,  and  dis- 
persed into  foreign  lands.  They  see  this  to  be  nearly  the  whole 
substance  of  all  the  blessings  and  of  all  the  curses  pronounced 
by  Moses.    Hence   they  confidently  conclude,  that  the  Jews 
were  separated  from  other  nations,  not  for  their  own  sakes, 
but  for  ours,  that  the  Christian  Church  might  have  an  image, 
in  whose  external  form  they  could  discern  examples  of  spiritual 
things.   But   since  the  Scripture  frequently  shews,  that   God 
himself  appointed  the  terrestrial  advantages   with  which  he 
favoured  them  for  the  express  purpose  of  leading  them  to  the 
hope  of  celestial  blessings;  it  argued  extreme  inexperience,  not 
to  say  stupidity,  not  to  consider  such  a  dispensation.  The  point 
of  controversy  between   us   and  these  persons,  is  this:  they 
maintain  that  the  possession  of  the  land  of  Canaan  was  accounted 
by  the  Israelites  their  supreme  and  ultimate  blessedness,  but 
that  to  us  since  the  revelation  of  Christ  it  is  a  figure  of  the 
heavenly   inheritance.   We  on  the  contrary   contend,  that   in 
the  earthly  possession  which  they  enjoyed  they  contemplated, 
as  in  a  mirror,  the  future  inheritance  which  they  believed  to  be 
prepared  for  them  in  heaven. 

II.  This  will  more  fully  appear  from  the  similitude,  which 
Paul  has  used  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Galatians.  (z)  He  compare? 

(3)  Gal.  iv, 

VOL.  I.  3  P 


482  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

the  Jewish  nation  to  a  young  heir,  who  being  yet  incapable  of 
governing  himself,  follows  the  dictates  of  a  tutor  or  governor, 
to  whose  charge  he  has  been  committed.  His  application  of 
this  similitude  chiefly  to  the  ceremonies,  is  no  objection  against 
the  propriety  of  its  application  to  our  present  purpose.  The 
same  inheritance  was  destined  for  them  as  for  us;  but  they 
were  not  of  a  sufficient  age  to  be  capable  of  entering  on  the 
possession  and  management  of  it.  The  Church  among  them 
was  the  same  as  among  us;  but  it  was  yet  in  a  state  of  child- 
hood. Therefore  the  Lord  kept  them  under  this  tuition,  that 
he  might  give  them  the  spiritual  promises,  not  open  and  uncon- 
cealed, but  veiled  under  terrestrial  figures.  Therefore  when 
he  admitted  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  with  their  posterity, 
to  the  hope  of  immortality,  he  promised  them  the  land  of 
Canaan  as  their  inheritance:  not  that  their  hopes  might  ter- 
minate in  that  land,  but  that  in  the  prospect  of  it  they  might 
exercise  and  confirm  themselves  in  the  hope  of  that  true  inhe- 
ritance which  was  not  yet  visible.  And  that  they  might  not  be 
deceived,  a  superior  promise  was  given  them,  which  proved 
that  country  not  to  be  the  highest  blessing  which  God  would 
bestow.  Thus  Abraham  is  not  permitted  to  grow  indolent 
after  having  received  a  promise  of  the  land,  but  a  greater  pro- 
mise elevates  his  mind  to  the  Lord.  For  he  hears  him  saying, 
"  Abram,  I  am  thy  shield,  and  thy  exceeding  great  reward."  (a) 
Here  we  see  that  the  Lord  proposes  himself  to  Abraham  as 
his  ultimate  reward,  that  he  may  not  seek  an  uncertain  and 
transitory  one  in  the  elements  of  this  world,  but  may  consi- 
der that  which  can  never  fade  away.  God  afterwards  annexes  a 
promise  of  the  land,  merely  as  a  symbol  of  his  benevolence, 
and  a  type  of  the  heavenly  inheritance.  And  that  this  was 
the  opinion  of  the  saints,  is  plain  from  their  own  language. 
Thus  David  rises  from  temporary  blessings  to  that  consummate 
and  ultimate  felicity.  u  My  soul  longeth,  yea,  even  fainteth 
for  the  courts  of  the  Lord."  (£)  "  God  is  my  portion  for 
ever."  (o)  Again:  "The  Lord  is  the  portion  of  mine  inhe- 
ritance and  of  my  cup:  thou  maintainest  my  lot."  (</)  Again: 
"I  cried  unto  thee,  O  Lord:  I  said,  Thou  art  my  refuge 

(a)  Gen.  xv.  1.  (6)  Psalm  Ixxxiv.  2. 

(c)  Psalm  Ixxiii.  26  (d)  Psalm  xvi.  5 


CHAP,  xi.j          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  483 

and  my  portion  in  the  land  of  the  living."  (e)  Persons  who 
venture  to  express  themselves  thus,  certainly  profess  that  in 
their  hopes  they  rise  above  the  world  and  all  present  blessings. 
Nevertheless  the  prophets  frequently  describe  this  blessedness 
of  the  future  world  under  the  type  which  the  Lord  had  given 
them.  In  this  sense  we  must  understand  the  following  passages: 
aThe  righteous  shall  inherit  the.  land:"  (/")  "  But  the  wicked 
shall  be  cut  off  from  the  earth:"  (_§-)  And  various  predictions 
of  Isaiah,  which  foretel  the  future  prosperity  of  Jerusalem,  and 
the  abundance  that  will  be  enjoyed  in  Zion.  We  see  that  all 
these  things  are  inapplicable  to  the  land  of  our  pilgrimage,  or 
to  the  earthly  Jerusalem,  but  that  they  belong  to  the  true  coun- 
try of  the  faithful  and  to  that  celestial  city,  where  "  the  Lord 
commanded  the  blessing,  even  life  for  evermore."  (A) 

III.  This  is  the  reason  why  the  saints,  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, are  represented  as  holding  this  mortal  life  with  its  bless- 
ings in  higher  estimation  than  becomes  us  now.  For  although 
they  well  knew  that  they  ought  not  to  rest  in  it  as  the  end  of 
their  course;  yet  when  they  recollected  what  characters  of  his 
grace  the  Lord  had  impressed  on  it,  in  order  to  instruct  them 
in  a  manner  suitable  to  their  tender  state,  they  felt  a  greater 
degree  of  pleasure  in  it  than  if  they  had  considered  it  merely 
in  itself.  But  as  the  Lord,  in  declaring  his  benevolence  to 
the  faithful  by  present  blessings,  gave  them,  under  these  types 
and  symbols,  a  figurative  exhibition  of  spiritual  felicity;  so  on 
the  other  hand  in  corporeal  punishments  he  exemplified  his 
judgment  against  the  reprobate.  Therefore  as  the  favours  of 
God  were  more  conspicuous  in  earthly  things,  so  also  were  his 
punishments.  Injudicious  persons,  not  considering  this  analogy 
and  harmony  (so  to  speak)  between  the  punishments  and  re- 
wards, wonder  at  so  great  a  variety  in  God,  that  in  ancient 
times  he  was  ready  to  avenge  all  the  transgressions  of  men  by 
the  immediate  infliction  of  severe  and  dreadful  punishments, 
but  now,  as  if  he  had  laid  aside  his  ancient  wrath,  punishes 
with  far  less  severity  and  frequency;  and  on  this  account  they 
almost  adopt  the  notion  of  the  Manicheans,  that  the  God  of 
the  Old  Testament  is  a  different  being  from  the  God  of  the 

(e)  Psalm  cxlii.  5.  (/)  Psalm  xxxvii.  29. 

(  g-)  Prov.  ii.  22.  (&)  Psalm  cxxxiii.  3. 


484  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

New.  But  we  shall  easily  get  rid  of  such  difficulties,  if  \vc 
direct  our  attention  to  that  dispensation  of  God,  which  I  have 
observed;  namely,  that  during  that  period,  in  which  he  gave 
the  Israelites  his  covenant  involved  in  some  degree  of  obscu- 
rity, he  intended  to  signify  and  prefigure  the  grace  of  future 
and  eternal  felicity  by  terrestrial  blessings,  and  the  grievousness 
pf  spiritual  death  by  corporeal  punishments. 

IV.  Another  difference  between  the  Old  Testament  and  the 
New  consists  in  figures,  because  the  former,  in  the  absence  of 
the  truth,  displayed  merely  an  image  and  shadow  instead  of  the 
body:  but  the  latter  exhibits  the  present  truth  of  the  substan- 
tial body,  (z)  And  this  is  generally  mentioned  wherever  the 
New  Testament  is  opposed  to  the  Old,  but  is  treated  more  at 
large  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  than  in  any  other  place.  (>&) 
The  apostle  is  there  disputing  against  those  who  supposed  that 
the  observance  of  the  Mosaic  law  could  not  be  abolished,  with- 
out being  followed  by  the  total  ruin  of  religion.  To  refute 
this  error,  he  adduces  the  prediction  of  the  prophet  concerning 
the  priesthood  of  Christ;  (/)  for  since  he  has  an  eternal  priest- 
hood committed  to  him,  we  may  argue  the  certain  abolition  of 
that  priesthood  in  which  new  priests  daily  succeeded  each 
other,  (m)  But  he  proves  the  superiority  of  the  appointment 
of  this  new  Priest,  because  it  is  confirmed  with  an  oath,  (n) 
He  afterwards  adds  that  this  transfer  of  the  priesthood  implies 
also  a  change  of  the  covenant,  (o)  And  he  proves  that  this 
change  was  necessary,  because  such  was  the  imbecility  of  the 
law,  that  it  could  bring  nothing  to  perfection.  (/>)  Then  he 
proceeds  to  state  the  nature  of  this  imbecility;  namely,  that 
the  law  prescribed  external  righteousnesses  consisting  in  carnal 
ordinances,  which  could  not  make  the  observers  of  them  "  per- 
fect as  pertaining  to  the  conscience,"  that  by  animal  victims  it 
could  neither  expiate  sins  nor  procure  true  holiness,  (y)  He 
concludes  therefore,  that  it  contained  "  a  shadow  of  good 
things  to  come,  but  not  the  very  image  of  the  things;"  (r)  and 
that  consequently  it  had  no  other  office,  but  to  serve  as  anintro- 

(i)  Col.  ii.  17.  (/t)  Heb.  x.  1,  &c. 

(/)  Heb.  vii.  17.    Psalm  ex.  4.  (»«)  Heb.  vii.  23,  24. 

(n)  Heb.  vii.  20,  21.        (o)  Heb.  vii.  12.  (/>)  Heb.  vii.  19. 

(7)  Heb.  ix.  13, 14.  x.  4.  (r)  Heb.  x.  1. 


xi.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  485 

duction  to  "  a  better  hope"  (*)  which  is  exhibited  in  the  gos- 
pel. Here  we  have  to  inquire  in  what  respect  the  Legal 
covenant  is  compared  with  the  Evangelical,  the  ministry  of 
Christ  with  the  ministry  of  Moses.  For  if  the  comparison 
related  to  the  substance  of  the  promises,  there  would  be  a  great 
discordance  between  the  two  testaments;  but  as  the  state  of 
the  question  leads  us  to  a  different  point,  we  must  attend  to  the 
scope  of  the  apostle,  in  order  to  discover  the  truth.  Let  us 
then  bring  forward  the  covenant,  which  God  hath  once  made, 
which  is  eternal,  and  never  to  be  abolished.  The  accomplish- 
ment, whence  it  derives  its  establishment  and  satisfaction,  is 
Christ.  While  such  a  confirmation  was  waited  for,  the  Lord 
by  Moses  prescribed  ceremonies,  to  serve  as  solemn  symbolj| 
of  the  confirmation.  It  came  to  be  a  subject  of  contention, 
whether  the  ceremonies  ordained  in  the  law  ought  to  cease  and 
give  place  to  Christ.  Now  though  these  ceremonies  were 
only  accidents  or  concomitants  of  the  covenant,  yet  being  the 
instruments  of  its  administration,  they  bear  the  name  of  the 
covenant;  as  it  is  common  to  give  to  other  sacraments  the 
names  of  the  things  they  represent.  In  a  word,  therefore, 
what  is  here  called  the  Old  Testament,  is  a  solemn  method  of 
confirming  the  covenant,  consisting  of  ceremonies  and  sacri- 
fices. Since  it  contains  nothing  perfect,  if  we  proceed  no 
further;  the  apostle  contends  that  it  ought  to  be  repealed  and 
abrogated,  in  order  to  make  way  for  Christ,  the  Surety  and 
Mediator  of  a  better  testament,  (f)  by  whom  eternal  sanctifi  cation 
has  been  at  once  procured  for  the  elect,  and  those  transgressions 
obliterated,  which  remained  under  the  law.  Or  if  you  prefer 
it,  take  the  following  statement  of  it;  that  the  Old  Testament 
of  the  Lord  was  that  which  was  delivered  to  the  Jews,  involved 
in  a  shadowy  and  inefficacious  observance  of  ceremonies,  and 
that  it  was  therefore  temporary,  because  it  remained  as  it 
were  in  suspense,  till  it  was  supported  by  a  firm  and  substan- 
tial confirmation;  but  that  it  was  made  new  and  eternal,  when 
it  was  consecrated  and  established  by  the  blood  of  Christ. 
Whence  Christ  calls  the  cup  which  he  gives  to  his  disciples  in 
the  supper,  "  the  cup  of  the  New  Testament  in  his  blood;"  (y) 

(.?)  Heb.  vii.  19.  (0  Heb.  vii.  22.  l»  Matt.  xxvi.  28. 


486  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

to  signify  that  when  the  testament  of  God  is  sealed  with  his 
blood,  the  truth  of  it  is  then  accomplished,  and  thus  it  is  made 
new  and  eternal. 

V.  Hence  it  appears  in  what  sense  the  apostle  said,  that  the 
Jews  were  conducted  to  Christ  by  the  tuition  of  the  law,  be- 
fore he  was  manifested  in  the    flesh,  (w}  He   confesses  also 
that   they  were  children  and  heirs   of   God,  but  such  as  on 
account  of  their  age  required  to  be  kept  under  the  care  of  a 
tutor.  (#)  For  it  was  reasonable  that  before  the  Sun  of  righte- 
ousness was  risen,  there  should  be  neither  such  a  full  blaze  of 
revelation,  nor  such  great  clearness  of  understanding.  There- 
fore the  Lord  dispensed  the  light  of  his  word  to  them  in  such 
a   manner,    that    they  had   yet    only   a   distant    and    obscure 
prospect  of  it.  Paul  describes  this  slenderness  of  understand- 
ing as  a  state  of  childhood,  which  it  was  the  Lord's  will  to 
exercise  in  the  elements  of  this  world  and  in  external  observ- 
ances, as  rules  of  puerile  discipline,  till  the  manifestation  of 
Christ,  by  whom  the  knowledge  of  the  faithful  was  to  grow 
to  maturity.  Christ  himself  alluded  to  this  distinction,  when 
he  said,  "  The  law  and  the  prophets  were  until  John:  since 
that  time  the  kingdom  of  God  is  preached."  (y)  What  dis- 
coveries did  Moses  and  the  prophets  make  to  their  contem- 
poraries? they  afforded  them  some  taste  of  that  wisdom  which 
was  in  after  times  to  be  clearly  manifested,  and  gave  them  a 
distant   prospect  of  its    future    splendor.     But   when    Christ 
could  be  plainly  pointed  out,  the  kingdom  of  God  was  revealed. 
For  in  him  are  discovered  "  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge,"  (2)  by  which  we  penetrate  almost  into  the  farthest 
recesses  of  heaven. 

VI.  Nor  is  it  any  objection  to  our  argument,  that  scarcely  a 
person  can  be  found  in  the  Christian  Church,  who  is  to  be  com- 
pared with  Abraham  in  the  excellency  of  his  faith;  or  that  the 
prophets  were  distinguished  by  such  energy  of  the  Spirit  as, 
even  at  this  day,  is  sufficient  to  illuminate  the  whole  world.  For 
our  present  inquiry  is,  not  what  grace  the  Lord  hath  conferred 
on  a  few,  but  what  is  the  ordinary  method  which  he  hath  pur- 
sued in  the  instruction  of  his  people:  such  as  is  found  even 

(*•)  Gal.  iii.  24.  (x)  Gal.  iv.  1,  &c 

(»/)  Luke  xvi.  16  (z)  Col.  ii.  3. 


CHAP,  xi.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  487 

among  the  prophets  themselves,  who  were  endued  with  pecu- 
liar knowledge  above  others.  For  their  preaching  is  obscure, 
as  relating  to  things  very  distant,  and  is  comprehended  in 
types.  Besides,  notwithstanding  their  wonderful  eminence  in 
knowledge,  yet  because  they  were  under  a  necessity  of  sub- 
mitting to  the  same  tuition  as  the  rest  of  the  people,  they  are 
considered  as  sustaining  the  character  of  children  as  well  as 
others.  Finally,  none  of  them  possessed  knowledge  so  clear 
as  not  to  partake  more  or  less  of  the  obscurity  of  the  age- 
Whence  this  observation  of  Christ:  "  Many  prophets  and 
kings  have  desired  to  see  those  things  which  ye  see,  and 
have  not  seen  them;  and  to  hear  those  things  which  ye  hear, 
and  have  not  heard  them."  (a)  "  Blessed  are  your  eyes,  for 
they  see;  and  your  ears,  for  they  hear."  (£)  And  indeed  it  is 
reasonable  that  the  presence  of  Christ  should  be  distinguished 
by  the  prerogative  of  introducing  a  clearer  revelation  of  the 
mysteries  of  heaven.  To  the  same  purpose  also  is  the  passage, 
which  we  have  before  cited  from  the  First  Epistle  of  Peter, 
that  it  was  revealed  to  them,  that  the  principal  advantage  of 
their  labours  would  be  experienced  in  our  times,  (c) 

VII.  I  come  now  to  the  third  difference,  which  is  taken 
from  Jeremiah,  whose  words  are  these:  "  Behold,  the  days 
come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with 
the  house  of  Israel,  and  with  the  house  of  Judah:  not  accord- 
ing to  the  covenant  that  I  made  with  their  fathers  in  the  day 
that  I  took  them  by  the  hand  to  bring  them  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt;  which  my  covenant  they  brake,  although  I  was  an 
husband  to  them,  saith  the  Lord:  but  this  shall  be  the  cove- 
nant that  I  will  make  with  the  house  of  Israel;  After  those 
days,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  put  my  law  in  their  inward  partst 
and  write  it  in  their  hearts;  and  will  be  their  God,  and  they 
shall  be  my  people.  And  they  shall  teach  no  more  every  mat: 
his  neighbour,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the 
Lord:  for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from  the  least  of  them 
unto  the  greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord:  for  I  will  forgive 
their  iniquity,  and  I  will  remember  their  sin  no  more."  (a?) 
From  this  passage  the  apostle  took  occasion  to  institute  the 

(a)  Luke  x.  24.  (6)  Matt.  xiii.  16. 

00  1  Peter  i.  12.  (^)  Jer.  x*xi.  31,  Sec 


488  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

following  comparison  between  the  law  and  the  gospel:  he  calls 
the  former  a  literal,  the  latter  a  spiritual  doctrine;  the  former 
he  says  was  engraven  on  tables  of  stone,  but  the  latter  is  in- 
scribed on  the  heart;  (e)  the    former  was  the    preaching   of 
death,  but  the  latter  of  life;  the  former  was  the  ministration 
of  condemnation,  but  the  latter  of  righteousness;  the  former 
is  abolished,    but  the   latter    remains.  As  the  design  of  the 
apostle  was  to  express  the  sense  of  the  prophet,  it   will  be 
sufficient  for  us  to  consider  the  language  of  one  of  them,  in 
order  to  discover  the  meaning  of  both.  There  is  however  some 
difference  between  them.   For  the  apostle  speaks  of  the  law 
in  less  honourable  terms  than  the  prophet  does;  and  that  not 
simply  with  respect  to  the  law  itself,  but  because  there  were 
some  disturbers,  who  were  full  of  improper  zeal  for  the  law, 
and  by  their  perverse  attachment  to  the  ceremonies  obscured 
the  glory  of  the  gospel,  he  disputes  concerning  the  nature  of 
the  law  with  reference  to  their  error  and  foolish  affection  for 
it.  This  peculiarity  in  Paul  therefore  will  be  worthy  of  our 
observation.  Both  of  them,  as  they  contrast  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments  with  each  other,  consider  nothing  in  the  law,  but 
what  properly  belongs  to  it.  For  example,  the   law   contains 
frequent  promises  of  mercy;  but  as  they  are  borrowed  from 
another  dispensation,  they  are  not  considered  as  part  of  the 
law,  when  the  mere  nature  of  the  law  is  the  subject  of  dis- 
cussion. All  that  they  attribute  to  it  is,  that  it  enjoins  what 
is  right  and  prohibits  crimes;  that  it  proclaims  a  reward  for 
the   followers    of  righteousness,  and   denounces  punishments 
against  transgressors;  but  that  it  neither  changes  nor  corrects 
the  depravity  of  heart  which  is  natural  to  all  men. 

VIII.  Now  let  us  explain  the  comparison  of  the  apostle  in 
all  its  branches.  In  the  first  place,  the  Old  Testament  is 
literal,  because  it  was  promulgated  without  the  efficacy  of  the 
Spirit;  the  New  is  spiritual,  because  the  Lord  hath  engraven 
it  in  a  spiritual  manner  on  the  hearts  of  men.  The  second 
contrast  therefore  serves  as  an  elucidation  of  the  first.  The 
Old  Testament  is  the  revelation  of  death,  because  it  can  only 
involve  all  mankind  in  a  curse;  the  New  is  the  instrument  of 
life,  because  it  delivers  us  from  the  curse,  and  restores  us  to 

(<?)  2  Cor.  iii.  6,  &c. 


CHAP,  xi.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  489 

favour  with  God.  The  former  is  the  ministry  of  condemnation, 
because  it  convicts  all  the  children  of  Adam  of  unrighteous- 
ness; the  latter  is  the  ministry  of  righteousness,  because  it 
reveals  the  mercy  of  God,  by  which  we  are  made  right- 
eous. The  last  contrast  must  be  referred  to  the  legal  cere- 
monies. The  law  having  an  image  of  things  that  were  at  a 
distance,  it  was  necessary  that  in  time  it  should  be  abolished 
and  disappear.  The  gospel,  exhibiting  the  body  itself,  retains 
a  firm  and  perpetual  stability.  Jeremiah  calls  even  the  moral 
law  a  weak  and  frail  covenant,  but  for  another  reason;  namely, 
because  it  was  soon  broken  by  the  sudden  defection  of  an  un- 
grateful people.  But  as  such  a  violation  arises  from  the  fault 
of  the  people,,  it  cannot  be  properly  attributed  to  the  Testa- 
ment. The  ceremonies,  however,  which  at  the  advent  of 
Christ  were  abolished  by  their  own  weakness,  contained  in 
themselves  the  cause  of  their  abrogation.  Now  this  difference 
between  the  "  letter"  and  the  "  spirit"  is  not  to  be  understood, 
as  if  the  Lord  had  given  his  law  to  the  Jews  without  any  bene- 
ficial result,  without  one  of  them  being  converted  to  him:  but 
it  is  used  in  a  way  of  comparison,  to  display  the  plenitude  of 
grace,  with  which  the  same  Legislator,  assuming  as  it  were  a 
new  character,  hath  honoured  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  For 
if  we  survey  the  multitude  of  those,  from  among  all  nations, 
whom  by  the  influence  of  his  Spirit  in  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel  the  Lord  hath  regenerated  and  gathered  into  communion 
with  his  Church,  we  shall  say  that  those  of  the  ancient  Israel- 
ites who  cordially  and  sincerely  embraced  the  covenant  of  the 
Lord  were  extremely  few;  though,  if  estimated  by  themselves 
without  any  comparison,  they  amounted  to  a  considerable 
number. 

IX.  The  fourth  difference  arises  out  of  the  third.  For  the 
Scripture  calls  the  Old  Testament  a  covenant  of  bondage,  be- 
cause it  produces  fear  in  the  mind;  but  the  New  it  describes 
as  a  covenant  of  liberty,  because  it  leads  the  heart  to  confidence 
and  security.  Thus  Paul,  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  his  Epistle 
to  the  Romans,  says,  "Ye  have  not  received  the  spirit  of  bon- 
dage again  to  fear;  but  ye  have  received  the  Spirit  of  adoption, 
whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father."  (y)  To  the  same  purpose  is 
(/)  Rom.  viii.  15. 

VOL.  I.  3  Q 


490  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  OOOK  n. 

that  passage  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  that  the  faithful 
now  "  are  not  come  unto  the  mount  that  might  be  touched, 
and  that  burned  with  firek  nor  unto  blackness,  and  darkness, 
and  tempest,"  where  nothing  can  be  either  heard  or  seen, 
but  what  must  strike  terror  into  the  mind;  so  that  even  Moses 
himself  is  exceedingly  afraid  at  the  sound  of  the  terrible  voice, 
which  they  all  pray  that  they  may  hear  no  more;  but  that  now 
the  faithful  "  are  come  unto  mount  Sion,  and  unto  the  city  of 
the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,"  (,§•)  &c.  What  Paul 
briefly  touches  in  the  passage,  which  we  have  adduced  from  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans,  he  explains  more  at  large  in  his  Epistle 
to  the  Galatians,  when  he  allegorises  the  two  sons  of  Abraham 
in  the  following  manner:  that  Agar,  the  bond-woman,  is  a  type 
of  mount  Sinai,  where  the  people  of  Israel  received  the  law; 
that  Sarah,  the  free-woman,  is  a  figure  of  the  celestial  Jerusa- 
lem, whence  proceeds  the  gospel.  That  as  the  son  of  Agar 
is  born  in  bondage,  and  can  never  attain  to  the  inheritance, 
and  the  son  of  Sarah  is  born  free  and  has  a  right  to  the  in- 
heritance; (A)  so  by  the  law  we  are  devoted  to  slavery,  but 
by  the  gospel  alone  are  regenerated  to  liberty.  Now  the 
whole  may  be  summed  up  thus,  that  the  Old  Testament  filled 
men's  consciences  with  fear  and  trembling;  but  that  by  the 
benefit  of  the  New  Testament,  they  are  delivered  and  enabled 
to  rejoice.  The  former  kept  their  consciences  under  a  yoke 
of  severe  bondage;  but  by  the  liberality  of  the  latter  they  are 
emancipated  and  admitted  to  liberty.  If  any  one  object  to  us 
the  case  of  the  holy  fathers  of  the  Israelitish  people?  that  as 
they  were  clearly  possessed  of  the  same  spirit  of  faith  as  we 
are,  they  must  consequently  have  been  partakers  of  the  same 
liberty  and  joy;  we  reply,  that  neither  of  these  originated  from 
the  law;  but  that  when  they  felt  themselves  by  means  of  the 
law  oppressed  with  their  servile  condition,  and  wearied  with 
disquietude  of  conscience,  they  fled  for  refuge  to  the  gospel: 
ana  that  therefore  it  was  a  peculiar  advantage  of  the  New 
Testament,  that  they  enjoyed  an  exception  from  the  common 
law  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  were  exempted  from  those 
evils.  Besides  we  shall  deny  that  they  were  favoured  with  the 

(f )  Heb.  xii.  18,  &c.  (A)  Gal.  iv.  22,  &c. 


CHAP,  xi.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  491 

spirit  of  liberty  and  security,  to  such  a  degree  as  not  to  experi- 
ence from  the  law  some  measure  both  of  fear  and  of  servitude. 
For  notwithstanding  their  enjoyment  of  that  privilege,  which 
they  obtained  by  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  yet  they  were  subject 
to  the  same  observances  and  burdens  as  the  people  in  general. 
As  they  were  obliged  therefore  to  a  diligent  observance  of 
those  ceremonies  which  were  emblems  of  the  state  of  pupilage 
similar  to  bondage,  and  the  hand-writing,  by  which  they  con- 
fessed themselves  guilty  of  sin,  did  not  release  them  from  the 
obligation;  they  may  justly  be  said,  in  comparison  with  us,  to 
have  been  under  a  testament  of  bondage  and  fear,  when  we 
consider  the  common  mode  of  procedure  which  the  Lord  then 
pursued  with  the  Israelitish  nation. 

X.  The  three  last  comparisons  which  we  have  mentioned 
are  between  the  law  and  the  gospel.  In  these  therefore  "  the 
Old  Testament"  denotes  the  law;  and  "the  New  Testament," 
the  gospel.  The  first  comparison  extends  further,  for  it  com- 
prehends also  the  promises,  which  were  given  before  the  law. 
When  Augustine  denied  that  they  ought  to  be  considered  as 
part  of  the  Old  Testament,  he  gave  a  very  proper  opinion, 
and  intended  the  same  as  we  now  teach:  for  he  had  in  view 
those  passages  of  Jeremiah  and  Paul,  in  which  the  Old  Testa- 
ment is  distinguished  from  the  word  of  grace  and  mercy. 
He  very  judiciously  adds  also  in  the  same  place,  that  the  chil- 
dren of  the  promise,  from  the  beginning  of  the  world,  who 
have  been  regenerated  by  God,  and  under  the  influence  of 
faith  working  by  love  have  obeyed  his  commands,  belong  to  the 
New  Testament;  and  that  in  hope,  not  of  carnal,  terrestrial,  and 
temporal  things,  but  of  spiritual,  celestial,  and  eternal  blessings; 
especially  believing  in  the  Mediator,  by  whom  they  doubted  not 
that  the  Spirit  was  dispensed  to  them  to  enable  them  to  do  their 
duty,  and  that  whenever  they  sinned  they  were  pardoned.  For 
this  is  the  very  same  thing,  which  I  meant  to  assert:  That  all  the 
saints,  whom  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  the  Scripture  men- 
tions as  having  been  peculiarly  chosen  by  God,  have  been  par- 
takers of  the  same  blessing  with  us  to  eternal  salvation.  Between 
our  distinction  and  that  of  Augustine  there  is  this  difference;  that 
ours  (according  to  this  declaration  of  Christ,  "  the  law  and  the 
prophets  were  until  John:  since  that  time  the  kingdom  of  God 


492  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

is  preached")  (z)  distinguishes  between  the  glory  of  the  gospel 
and  the  more  obscure  dispensation  of  the  word  which  preceded 
it;  whilst  the  other  merely  discriminates  the  weakness  of  the 
law  from  the  stability  of  the  gospel.  Here  it  must  also  be 
remarked  concerning  the  holy  fathers,  that  though  they  lived 
under  the  Old  Testament,  they  did  not  rest  satisfied  with  it, 
but  always  aspired  after  the  New,  and  thus  enjoyed  a  certain 
participation  of  it.  For  all  those  who  contented  themselves 
with  present  shadows,  and  did  not  extend  their  views  to 
Christ,  are  condemned  by  the  apostle  as  blind  and  under  the 
curse.  To  say  nothing  on  other  points,  what  greater  ignorance 
can  be  imagined  than  to  hope  for  an  expiation  of  sin  by  the 
sacrifice  of  an  animal?  than  to  seek  for  the  purification  of 
the  soul  by  an  external  ablution  with  water?  than  to  wish 
to  appease  God  with  frigid  ceremonies,  as  though  they  afforded 
him  great  pleasure?  For  all  these  absurdities  are  chargeable  on 
those  who  adhere  to  the  observances  of  the  law  without  any 
reference  to  Christ. 

XI.  The  fifth  difference,  which  we  may  add,  consists  in 
this,  that  till  the  advent  of  Christ,  the  Lord  selected  one  na- 
tion, to  which  he  would  limit  the  covenant  of  his  grace.  Moses 
says,  "  When  the  Most  High  divided  to  the  nations  their  in- 
heritance, when  he  separated  the  sons  of  Adam;  the  Lord's 
portion  is  his  people:  Jacob  is  the  lot  of  his  inheritance."  (>£) 
In  another  place  he  thus  addresses  the  people:  "  Behold,  the 
heaven,  and  the  heaven  of  heavens  is  the  Lord's  thy  God,  the 
earth  also,  with  all  that  therein  is.  Only  the  Lord  had  a  de- 
light in  thy  fathers  to  love  them,  and  he  chose  their  seed  after 
them,  even  you  above  all  people."  (/)  Therefore  he  favoured 
that  people  with  the  exclusive  knowledge  of  his  name,  as 
though  they  alone  of  all  mankind  belonged  to  him;  he  de- 
posited his  covenant  as  it  were  in  their  bosom;  to  them  he 
manifested  the  presence  of  his  power;  he  honoured  them  with 
every  privilege.  But  to  omit  the  rest  of  his  benefits,  the  only 
one  that  relates  to  our  present  argument  is,  that  he  united  them 
to  himself  by  the  communication  of  his  word,  in  order  that  he 
might  be  denominated  and  esteemed  their  God.  In  the  mean 

(0  Luke  xvi.  16.  (*)  Djeut.  xxxii.  8,  9.  (/)  Deut.  x.  14. 


CHAP,  xi.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  493 

time  he  suffered  other  nations,  as  though  they  had  no  business 
or  intercourse  with  him,  to  walk  in  vanity;  (m)  nor  did  he  em- 
ploy means  to  prevent  their  destruction  by  sending  them  the 
only  remedy,  the  preaching  of  his  word.  The  Israelitish  nation 
therefore  were  then  his  darling  sons,  others  were  strangers? 
they  were  known  to  him  and  received  under  his  faithful  pro- 
tection, others  were  left  to  their  own  darkness;  they  were 
sanctified  by  God,  others  were  profane;  they  were  honoured 
with  the  Divine  presence,  others  were  excluded  from  approach- 
ing it.  But  when  the  fulness  of  the  time  was  come,  (n)  ap- 
pointed for  the  restoration  of  all  things,  (o)  and  the  Reconciler 
of  God  and  man  was  manifested;  (/>)  the  barrier  was  demo- 
lished, which  had  so  long  confined  the  Divine  mercy  within 
the  limits  of  the  Jewish  church,  and  peace  was  announced  to 
them  who  were  at  a  distance,  and  to  them  who  were  near, 
that  being  both  reconciled  to  God  they  might  coalesce  into 
one  people.  Wherefore  "  there  is  neither  Greek  nor  Jew, 
circumcision  nor  uncircuracision,  but  Christ  is  all  and  in 
all;"  (y)  "  to  whom  the  heathen  are  given  for  his  inheritance, 
and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  possession:"  (r) 
that  he  may  have  a  universal  "  dominion  from  sea  to  sea,  and 
from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth."  (*) 

XII.  The  vocation  of  the  Gentiles,  therefore,  is  an  eminent 
illustration  of  the  superior  excellence  of  the  New  Testament 
above  the  Old.  It  had  indeed  before  been  most  explicitly 
announced  in  numerous  predictions  of  the  prophets;  but  so  as 
that  the  completion  of  it  was  deferred  to  the  kingdom  of  the 
Messiah.  And  even  Christ  himself  made  no  advances  towards 
it  at  the  first  commencement  of  his  preaching,  but  deferred  it 
till  he  should  have  completed  all  the  parts  of  our  redemption, 
finished  the  time  of  his  humiliation,  and  received  from  the  Fa- 
ther "  a  name  which  is  above  every  name,  before  which  even 
knee  should  bow."  (f)  Wherefore  when  this  season  was  not  yet 
arrived,  he  said  to  a  Canaanitish  woman,  "  I  am  not  sent  but 
unto  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel:"  (t>)  nor  did  he 
permit  the  apostles  in  his  first  mission  of  them  to  exceed  these 

(w)  Acts  xiv.  16.  (n)  Gal.  iv.  4.  (o)  Matt.  xvii.  11. 

(  />)  Eph.  ii.  14.  (7)  Col.  iii.  11.  (r)  Psalm  ii.  8. 

(*)  Psalm  Ixxii.  8.  («)  PhiL  ii.  9, 10.  (r)  Matt.  xv.  24. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

limits.  M  Go  not,"  says  he,  "  into  the  way  of  the  Gentiles, 
and  into  any  city  of  the  Samaritans  enter  ye  not:  but  go 
rather  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  (w)  And 
though  this  calling  or  the  Gentiles  was  announced  by  so  many 
testimonies,  yet  when  the  apostles  were  about  to  enter  upon  it, 
it  appeared  to  them  so  novel  and  strange,  that  mey  dreaued  it, 
as  it  it  had  been  a  prodigy:  indeed  it  was  with  trepidation 
and  reluctance  that  they  at  length  engaged  in  it.  Nor  is  this 
surprising;  ior  it  seemed  not  at  all  reasonable,  that  the  Lord, 
who  for  so  many  ages  had  separated  the  Israelites  from  the 
rest  of  the  nations,  should  as  it  were  suddenly  change  his 
design,  and  annihilate  this  distinction.  It  had  indeed  been 
predicted  in  the  prophecies;  bat  they  could  not  pay  such 
great  attention  to  the  prophecies,  as  to  be  wholly  unmoved 
with  the  novelty  of  the  circumstance,  which  forced  itself  on 
their  observation.  Nor  were  the  specimens,  which  the  Lord 
had  formerly  given,  of  the  future  vocation  of  the  Gentiles, 
sufficient  $o  influence  them.  For  beside  his  having  called  only 
very  few  of  them,  he  had  even  incorporated  them  into  the 
family  of  Abraham,  that  they  might  be  added  to  his  people; 
but  by  that  public  vocation,  the  Gentiles  were  not  only  raised 
to  an  equality  with  the  Jews,  but  appeared  to  succeed  to  their 
places  as  though  they  had  been  dead.  Besides,  of  all  the 
strangers  whom  God  had  before  incorporated  into  the  Church, 
none  of  them  were  ever  placed  on  an  equality  with  the  Jews. 
Therefore  it  is  not  with  reason  that  Paul  so  celebrates  this 
"  mystery  which  was  hidden  from  ages  and  from  genera- 
tions," (#)  and  which  he  represents  as  an  object  of  admiration 
even  to  angels,  (z/) 

XIII.  In  these  four  or  five  points,  I  think  I  have  given  a 
correct  and  faithful  statement  of  the  whole  of  the  difference 
between  the  Old  and  the  New  Testament,  as  far  as  is  sufficient 
for  a  simple  system  of  doctrine.  But  because  some  persons 
represent  this  variety  in  the  government  of  the  Church,  these 
different  modes  of  instruction,  and  such  a  considerable  altera- 
tion of  rites  and  ceremonies,  as  a  great  absurdity;  we  must 
reply  to  them,  before  we  proceed  to  other  subjects.  And  this 

(<u)  Mattx.  5,  6.  (x)  Col.  i.  26.  Q/)  Epb.  Hi.  10. 


CHAP,  xi.]          CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  495 

may  be  done  in  a  brief  manner,  since  the  objections  are  not  so 
strong  as  to  require  a  laborious  refutation.  It  is  not  reasonable, 
they  say,  that  God,  who  is  perpetually  consistent  with  himself, 
should  undergo  so  great  a  change,  as  afterwards  to  disallow 
what  he  had  once  enjoined  and  commanded.  I  reply,  that 
God  ought  not  therefore  to  be  deemed  mutable,  because  he 
has  accommodated  different  forms  to  different  ages,  as  he  knew 
would  be  suitable  for  each.  If  the  husbandman  prescribes 
different  employments  to  his  family  in  the  winter,  from  those 
which  he  allots  them  in  the  summer,  we  must  not  therefore 
accuse  him  of  inconstancy,  or  impute  to  him  a  deviation  from 
the  proper  rules  of  agriculture,  which  are  connected  with  the 
perpetual  course  of  nature.  Thus  also,  if  a  father  instructs, 
governs,  and  manages  his  children  one  way  in  infancy,  another 
in  childhood,  and  another  in  youth,  we  must  not  therefore 
charge  him  with  being  inconstant,  or  forsaking  his  own  designs. 
Why  then  do  we  stigmatise  God  with  the  character  of  incon- 
stancy, because  he  hath  made  an  apt  and  suitable  distinction 
between  different  times?  The  last  similitude  ought  fully  to 
satisfy  us.  Paul  compares  the  Jews  to  children,  and  Christians 
to  youths.  (2)  What  impropriety  is  there  iij  this  part  of  the 
government  of  God,  that  he  detained  them  in  the  rudiments 
which  were  suitable  to  them  on  account  of  their  age,  but  hath 
placed  us  undej:  a  stronger  and  more  manly  discipline?  It  is  a 
proof  therefore  of  the  constancy  of  God,  that  he  hath  delivered 
the  same  doctrine  in  all  ages,  and  perseveres  in  requiring  the 
same  worship  of  his  name  which  he  commanded  from  the 
beginning.  By  changing  the  external  form  and  mode,  he  hath 
discovered  no  mutability  in  himself,  but  hath  so  far  accom- 
modated himself  to  the  capacity  of  men,  which  is  various  and 
mutable. 

XIV.  But  they  inquire  whence  this  diversity  proceeded, 
except  from  the  will  of  God.  Could  he  not,  as  well  from  the 
beginning  as  since  the  advent  of  Christ,  give  a  revelation  of 
eternal  life  in  clear  language  without  any  figures,  instruct  his 
people  by  a  few  plain  sacraments,  bestow  his  Holy  Spirit,  and 
diffuse  his  grace  through  all  the  world?  This  is  just  the  same 

(*)  Gal.  iv.  l— <j. 


496  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

as  if  they  were  to  quarrel  with  God,  bocause  he  created  the 
world  at  so  late  a  period,  whereas  he  might  have  done  it  be- 
fore; or  because  he  hath  appointed  the  alternate  vicissitudes 
of  summer  and  winter,  of  day  and  night.  But  let  us  not 
doubt,  what  ought  to  be  believed  by  all  pious  men,  that  what- 
ever is  done  by  God  is  done  wisely  and  righteously;  although 
we  frequently  know  nothing  of  the  causes  which  render  such 
transactions  necessary.  For  it  would  be  arrogating  too  much 
to  ourselves,  not  to  permit  God  to  keep  the  reasons  of  his  de- 
crees concealed  from  us.  But  it  is  surprising,  say  they,  that  he 
now  rejects  and  abominates  the  sacrifices  of  cattle  and  all  the 
apparatus  of  the  Levitical  priesthood,  with  which  he  used  to 
be  delighted.  As  though  truly  these  external  and  transitory 
things  could  afford  pleasure  to  God,  or  affect  him  in  any  way 
whatever.  It  has  already  been  observed,  that  he  did  none  of 
these  things  on  his  own  account,  but  appointed  them  all  for 
the  salvation  of  men.  If  a  physician  cure  a  young  man  of  any 
disease  by  a  very  excellent  method,  and  afterwards  adopt  a 
different  mode  of  cure  with  the  same  person  when  advanced  in 
years,  shall  we  therefore  say  that  he  rejects  the  method  of  cure 
which  he  before  approved?  We  will  rather  say,  that  he  perse- 
veres in  the  same  system,  and  considers  the  difference  of  age. 
Thus  it  was  necessary,  before  the  appearance  of  Christ,  that 
he  should  be  prefigured,  and  his  future  advent  announced  by 
one  kind  of  emblems;  since  he  has  been  manifested,  it  is  right 
that  he  should  be  represented  by  others.  But  with  respect  to 
the  Divine  vocation,  now  more  widely  extended  among  all  na- 
tions since  the  advent  of  Christ  than  it  was  before,  and  with 
regard  to  the  more  copious  effusion  of  the  graces  of  the  Spirit, 
who  can  deny,  that  it  is  reasonable  and  just  for  God  to  retain 
under  his  own  power  and  will  the  free  dispensation  of  his  fa- 
vours, that  he  may  illuminate  what  nations  he  pleases,  that 
wherever  he  pleases  he  may  introduce  the  preaching  of  his 
word,  that  he  may  give  to  his  instruction  whatever  kind  and 
degree  of  profit  and  success  he  pkases,  that  wherever  he  pleases 
in  any  age  he  may  punish  the  ingratitude  of  the  world  by  de- 
priving them  of  the  knowledge  of  his  name,  and  when  he 
pleases  restore  it  on  account  of  his  mere)-?  We  see  therefore 
the  absurdity  of  the  cavils,  with  which  impious  men  disturb 


CHAP,  xii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  497 

the  minds  of  the  simple  on  this  subject,  to  call  in  question 
either  the  righteousness  of  God  or  the  truth  of  the  Scripture. 


•wvwwwwww 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Necessity  of  Christ  becoming  Man  in  order  to  fulfil  the  Office 

of  Mediator. 

IT  was  of  great  importance  to  our  interests,  that  he,  who 
was  to  be  our  Mediator,  should  be  ^both  true  God  and  true 
man.  If  an  inquiry  be  made  concerning  "tKe"  necessity  of 
this,  it  was  not  indeed  a  simple,  or,  as  we  commonly  say,  an 
absolute  necessity,  but  such  as  arose  from  the  heavenly  decree, 
on  which  the  salvation  of  men  depended.  But  our  most  mer- 
c  iful  Father  hath  appointed  that  which  was  best  for  us.  For 
since  our  iniquities,  like  a  cloud  intervening  between  us  and 
him,  had  entirely  alienated  us  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  no 
one  that  could  not  approach  to  God  could  be  a  Mediator  for 
the  restoration  of  peace.  But  who  could  have  approached  to 
him?  could  any  one  of  the  children  of  Adam?  They,  with  their 
parent,  all  dreaded  the  Divine  presence.  Could  any  one  of  the 
angels?  They  also  stood  in  need  of  a  head,  by  a  connection 
with  whom  they  might  be  confirmed  in  a  perfect  and  unva- 
rying adherence  to  their  God.  What  then  could  be  done? 
Our  situation  was  truly  deplorable,  unless  the  Divine  majesty 
itself  would  descend  to  us,  for  we  could  not  ascend  to  it.  Thus 
it  was  necessary  that  the  Son  of  God  should  become  Immanuel, 
that  is,  God  with  us;  and  this  in  order  that  there  might  be  a 
mutual  union  and  coalition  between  his  divinity  and  the  nature 
of  man:  for  otherwise  the  proximity  could  not  be  sufficiently 
near,  nor  could  the  affinity  be  sufficiently  strong,  to  authorise 
us  to  hope  that  God  would  dwell  with  us.  So  great  was  the 
discordance  between  our  pollution  and  the  perfect  purity  of 
God.  Although  man  had  remained  immaculately  innocent, 
yet  his  condition  would  have  been  too  mean  for  him  to  ap- 
proach to  God  without  a  Mediator.  What  then  can  he  do, 
after  having  been  plunged  by  his  fatal  fall  into  death  and,  hell, 
VOL.  I.  3  R 


498  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  if. 

defiled  with  so  many  blemishes,  putrefying  in  his  own  corrup- 
tion, and  in  a  word  overwhelmed  with  every  curse?  It  is  not 
without  reason  therefore  that  Paul,  when  about  to  exhibit 
Christ  in  the  character  of  a  Mediator,  expressly  speaks  of  him 
as  a  man.  "  There  is  one  Mediator,"  he  says,  "  between  God 
and  men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus."  (a)  He  might  have  called 
him  God,  or  might  indeed  have  omitted  the  appellation  of  man 
as  well  as  that  of  God;  but  because  the  Spirit,  who  spake  by 
him,  knew  our  infirmity,  he  hath  provided  a  very  suitable  re- 
medy against  it,  by  placing  the  Son  of  God  familiarly  among 
us,  as  though  he  were  one  of  us.  Therefore,  that  no  one  may 
distress  himself  where  he  is  to  seek  the  Mediator,  or  in  what 
way  he  may  approach  him,  the  apostle,  by  denominating  him  a 
man,  apprizes  us  that  he  is  near,  and  even  close  to  us,  since 
he  is  our  own  flesh.  He  certainly  intends  the  same  as  is  stated 
in  another  place  more  at  large;  "  that  we  have  not  an  high- 
priest  which  cannot  be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infir- 
mities; but  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  with- 
out sin."  (£) 

II.  This  will  still  more  fully  appear,  if  we  consider,  that  it. 
was  no  mean  part  which  the  Mediator  had  to  perform;  namely, 
to  restore  us  to  the  Divine  favour,  so  as  of  children  of  menr 
to  make  us  children  of  God;  of  heirs  of  hell,  to  make  us  heirs 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Who  could  accomplish  this,  unless 
the  Son  of  God  should  become  also  the  Son  of  man,  and  thus 
receive  to  himself  what  belongs  to  us,  and  transfer  to  us  that 
which  is  his;  and  make  that  which  is  his  by  nature,  ours  by 
grace?  Depending  therefore  on  this  pledge,  we  have  confidence 
that  we  are  the  children  of  God,  because  he,  who  is  the  Son  of 
God  by  nature,  hath  provided  himself  a  body  from  our  body, 
flesh  from  our  flesh,  bones  of  our  bones,  (c)  that  he  might  be 
the  same  with  us:  he  refused  not  to  assume  that  which  was 
peculiar  to  us,  that  we  also  might  obtain  that  which  he  had 
peculiar  to  him;  and  that  so  in  common  with  us  he  might  be 
both  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  Son  of  man.  Hence  arises  that 
holy  fraternity,  which  he  mentions  with  his  own  mouth  in  the 
following  words:  "  I  ascend  unto  my  Father,  and  your  Father; 

(a)  1  Tim.  ii.  £  (6)  Heb.  iv.  15.  (c)  Eph.  v.  30. 


CHAP,  xii.j        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  499 

and  to  my  God,  and  your  God."  (</)  On  this  account  we  have 
a  certainty  of  the  inheritance  of  the  ^cingdom  of  heaven,  be- 
cause the  only  Son  of  God,  to  whom  it  exclusively  belonged, 
hath  adopted  us  as  his  brethren;  and  if  we  are  his  brethren, 
we  are  consequently  co-heirs  to  the  inheritance,  (e)  Moreover 
it  was  highly  necessaiy  also  for  this  reason,  that  he  who  was 
to  be  our  Redeemer  should  be  truly  both  God  and  man.  It 
was  his  office  to  swallow  up  death;  who  could  do  this,  but  he 
who  was  life  itself?  It  was  his  to  overcome  sin;  who  could 
accomplish  this,  but  righteousness  itself?  It  was  his  to  put  to 
flight  the  powers  of  the  world  and  of  the  air;  who  could  do 
this,  but  a  power  superior  both  to  the  world  and  to  the  air? 
Now  who  possesses  life  or  righteousness,  or  the  empire  and 
power  of  heaven,  but  God  alone?  Therefore  the  most  mer- 
ciful God,  when  he  determined  on  our  redemption,  became 
himself  our  Redeemer  in  the  person  of  his  only-begotten 
Son. 

III.  Another  branch    of  our   reconciliation  with  God  was 
this,  that  man,  who  had  ruined  himself  by  his  own  disobedi- 

^* **'*»^ JMW^^t**** •  '  •*  "^**^MMa«i^B^»i  tm  i.  ,j^ 

ence,  should  remedy  his  condition  by  obedience,  should  satisfy 
the  justice  of  God,  and  suffer  the  punishment  of  his  sin.  Our 
Lord  then  made  his  appearance  as  a  real  man;  he  put  on  the 
character  of  Adam,  and  assumed  his  name,  to  act  as  his  substi- 
tute in  his  obedience  to  the  Father,  to  lay  down  our  flesh  as 
the  price  of  satisfaction  to  the  justice  of  God;  and  to  suffer  the 
punishment  which  we  had  deserved,  in  the  same  nature  in 
which  the  offence  had  been  committed.  As  it  would  have  been 
impossible  therefore,  for  one  who  was  only  God,  to  suffer  death, 
or  for  one  who  was  a  mere  man,  to  overcome~it,  he  associated 
the  human  nature  with  the  divine,  that  he  might  submit  the 
weakness  of  the  former  to  death,  as  an  atonement  for  sins;  and 
that  with  the  power  of  the  latter  he  might  contend  with  death, 
and  obtain  a  victory  on  our  behalf.  Those  who  despoil  Christ 
therefore  either  of  his  divinity  or  his  humanity,  either  diminish 
his  majesty  and  glory,  or  obscure  his  goodness.  Nor  are  they, 
on  the  other  hand,  less  injurious  to  men,  whose  faith  they 
weaken  and  subvert;  since  it  cannot  stand  any  longer  than  it 

(rf)  John  xx.  17.  00  Rom.  viii.  17. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

»ests  upon  this  foundation.  Moreover,  the  Redeemer  to  be 
expected  was  that  Son  of  Abraham  and  David,  whom  God 
had  promised  in  the  law  and  the  prophets.  Hence  the  minds 
of  the  faithful  derive  another  advantage,  because  from  the  cir- 
cumstance of  his  ancestry  being  traced  to  David  and  to  Abra- 
ham, they  have  an  additional  assurance  that  this  is  the  Christ, 
who  was  celebrated  in  so  many  prophecies.  But  we  should 
particularly  remember,  what  I  have  just  stated,  that  our  com- 
mon nature  is  a  pledge  of  our  fellowship  with  the  Son  of  God; 
that,  clothed  in  our  flesh,  he  vanquished  sin  and  death,  in  order 
that  the  victory  and  triumph  might  be  ours;  that  the  flesh 
which  he  r>  c c  i v e d  from  us  he  offered  up  as  a  sacrifice,  in  order 
ip  expiate  and  obliterate  our  guilt,  and  appease,  the  just  wrath 
ol'  the  Father. 

IV.  The  person  who  considers  these  things,  with  the  diligent 
attention  which  they  deserve,  will  easily  disregard  vague  spe- 
culations which  attract  minds  that  are  inconstant  and  fond  of 
novelty.  Such  is  the  notion,  that  Christ  would  have  become 
man,  even  though  the  human  race  had  needed  no  redemption. 
I  grant,  indeed,  that  at  the  original  creation,  and  in  the  state 
of  integrity,  he  was  exalted  as  head  over  angels  and  men; 
for  which  reason  Paul  calls  him  "the  first-born  of  every 
creature:"  (y)  but  since  the  whole  Scripture  proclaims,  that 
he  was  clothed  in  flesh  in  order  to  become  a  Redeemer,  it 
argues  excessive  temerity  to  imagine  another  cause  or  another 
end  for  it.  The  end  for  which  Christ  was  promised  from  the 
beginning,  is  sufficiently  known;  it  was  to  restore  a  fallen  world, 
and  to  succour  ruined  men.  Therefore  under  the  law  his 
image  was  exhibited  in  sacrifices,  to  inspire  the  faithful  with  a 
hope  that  God  would  be  propitious  to  them,  after  he  should  be 
reconciled  by  the  expiation  of  their  sins.  And  as  in  all  ages, 
even  before  the  promulgation  of  the  law,  the  Mediator  was 
never  promised  without  blood,  we  conclude  that  he  was 
destined  by  the  eternal  decree  of  God  to  purify  the  pollution  of 
men;  because  the  effusion  of  blood  is  an  emblem  of  expiation. 
The  prophets  proclaimed  and  foretold  him,  as  the  future  recon- 
ciler of  God  and  men*.  As  a  sufficient  specimen  of  all,  we 

(/)  Col.  i.  15. 


CHAP,  xii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  501 

refer  to  that  very  celebrated  testimony  of  Isaiah,  where  he  pre- 
dicts, that  he  should  be  smitten  of  God  for  the  transgressions 
of  the  people,  that  the  chastisement  of  their  peace  might  be 
upon  him;  and  that  he  should  be  a  priest  to  offer  up  him- 
self as  a  victim;  that  by  his  stripes  others  should  be  healed; 
and  that  because  all  men  had  gone  astray,  and  been  dispersed 
like  sheep,  it  would  please  the  Lord  to  afflict  him,  and  to  lay 
on  him  the  iniquities  of  all.  (5-)  As  we  are  informed  that  Christ 
is  particularly  appointed  by  God  for  the  relief  of  miserable 
sinners,  all  who  pass  these  bounds  are  guilty  of  indulging  a 
foolish  curiosity.  When  he  himself  appeared  in  the  world, 
he  declared  the  design  of  his  advent  to  be,  to  appease  God 
and  restore  us  from  death  to  life.  The  apostles  testified  the 
same.  Thus  John,  before  he  informs  us  that  the  Word  was 
made  flesh,  mentions  the  defection  of  men.  (A)  But  our  prin- 
cipal attention  is  due  to  Christ  himself  speaking  of  his  own 
office.  He  says,  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his 
only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  (z)  Again:  "  The  hour  is 
coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the 
Son  of  God:  and  they  that  hear  shall  live."  (/£)  "  I  am  the 
resurrection  and  the  life:  he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he 
were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live."  (/)  Again:  "  The  Son  of  man 
is  come  to  save  that  which  was  lost."  (in)  Again:  "  They 
that  be  whole  need  not  a  physician."  (n)  There  would  be  no 
end,  if  I  meant  to  quote  all  the  passages.  The  apostles  with 
one  consent  call  us  back  to  this  principle;  for  certainly,  if  he 
had  not  come  to  reconcile  God,  the  honour  of  his  priesthood 
would  have  been  lost,  for  a  priest  is  appointed  as  a  Mediator  to 
intercede  between  God  and  man:(o)  he  could  not  have  been  our 
righteousness,  because  he  was  made  a  sacrifice  for  v.s,  that  God 
might  not  impute  sins  to  us.  (/>)  Finally,  he  would  have  been 
spoiled  of  all  the  noble  characters  under  which  he  is  celebrated 
in  the  Scripture.  This  assertion  of  Paul  would  have  no  foun- 
dation: "What  the  law  could  not  do,  God,  sending  his  own 
Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,  and  for  sin,  condemned  sin 

fc)  Isaiah  liii.  4,  &c.         (/;)  John  i.  9,  &c.  (*')  Joltp  iii.  16. 

(fr)  John  v.  25.  (/)  John  xi.  25.  (m)  M.  tt.  xt'iii.  11. 

[«)  Matt.  ix.  12.  (o)  Heb-.  v.  1.  (/>)  2  Cor.  v.  19. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  H. 

in  the  flesh."  (y)  Nor  would  there  be  any  truth  in  what  he 
teaches  in  another  place,  that  uthe  kindness  and  love  of  God 
our  Saviour  toward  man  appeared"  (r)  in  the  gift  of  Christ 
as  a  Redeemer.  To  conclude,  the. Scripture  no  where  assigns 
•my  other  end,  for  which  the  Son  of  God, should  choose  to  be- 
come incarnate,  and  should  also  receive  this  command  from  the 
Father,  than  that  he  might  be  made  a  sacrifice  to  appease  the 
Father  on  our  account.  "  Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  be- 
hoved Christ  to  suffer;  and  that  repentance  should  be  preached 
in  his  name."  (s)  "  Therefore  doth  my  Father  love  me,  be- 
cause I  lay  down  my  life.  This  commandment  have  I  received 
of  my  Father."  (?)  "  As  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the 
wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of.  man  be  lifted  up."  (i») 
Again:  u  Father,  save  me  from  this  hour:  but  for  this  cause 
came  I  unto  this  hour."  (t,-)  "  Father,  glorify  thy  Son."  (#) 
Where  he  clearly  assigns,  as  the  end  of  his  assumption  of  human 
nature,  that  it  was  to  be  an  expiatory  sacrifice  for  the  abolition 
of  sins.  F'or  the  same  reason,  Zacharias  pronounces  that  he  is 
come,  according  to  the  promise  given  to  the  fathers,  u  to  give 
light  to  them  that  sit  in  the  shadow  of  death."  (j/)  Let  us 
remember  that  all  these  things  are  spoken  of  the  Son  of  God, 
41  in  whom,"  according  to  the  testimony  of  Paul,  "  are  hidden 
all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge,"  (z)  and  beside 
whom  he  glories  in  knowing  nothing,  (a) 

V.  If  any  one  object,  that  it  is  not  evinced  by  any  of  these 
things,  that  the  same  Christ,  who  hath  redeemed  men  from 
condemnation,  could  not  have  testified  his  love  to  them  by 
assuming  their  nature,  if  they  had  remained  in  a  state  of  in- 
tegrity and  safety;  we  briefly  reply,  that  since  the  Spirit  de- 
clares these  two  things,  Christ's  becoming  our  Redeemer,  and 
his  participation  of  the  same  nature,  to  have  been  connected 
by  the  eternal  decree  of  God,  it  is  not  right  to  make  any  fur- 
ther inquiry.  For  he  who  feels  an  eager  desire  to  know  some- 
thing more,  not  being  content  with  the  immutable  appoint- 
ment of  God,  shews  himself  also  not  to  be  contented  with  this 

(7)  Rom.  viii.  D.  (r)  Titus  Hi.  4.  (*)  Luke  xxiv.  46,  47 

(0  John  x.  17,  18.  (•»)  J«li"  iii.  14.  (w)  John  xii.  27. 

(or)  John  xvii.  1.  (  >)  Luke  i.  72,  79.  (z)  Col.  ii.  " 
(a)  1  Cor.  ii.  2. 


CHAP,  xii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  503 

Christ,  who  has  been  given  to  us  as  the  price  of  our  redemp- 
tion. Paul  not  only  tells  us  the  end  of  his  mission,  but  ascend- 
ing to  the  sublime  mystery  of  predestination,  very  properly 
represses  all  the  licentiousness  and  prurience  of  the  human 
mind,  by  declaring,  that  "  the  Father  hath  chosen  us  in  Christ 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  and  predestinated  us  to  the 
adoption  of  children  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will, 
and  made  us  accepted  in  his  beloved  Son,  in  whom  we  have 
redemption  through  his  blood."  (6)  Here  the  fall  of  Adam  is 
certainly  not  presupposed,  as  of  anterior  date;  but  we  have  a 
discovery  of  what  was  decreed  by  God  before  all  ages,  when  he 
determined  to  remedy  the  misery  of  mankind.  If  any  adver- 
sary object  again,  that  this  design  of  God  depended  on  the 
fall  of  man,  which  he  foresaw:  it  is  abundantly  sufficient  for 
me,  that  every  man  is  proceeding  with  impious  presumption 
to  imagine  to  himself  a  new  Christ,  whoever  he  be  that  per- 
mits himself  to  inquire,  or  wishes  to  know,  concerning  Christ, 
any  more  than  God  hath  predestinated  in  his  secret  decree. 
And  justly  does  Paul,  after  having  been  thus  treating  of  the 
peculiar  office  of  Christ,  implore  on  behalf  of  the  Ephesians 
the  spirit  of  understanding,  "  that  they  may  be  able  to  compre- 
hend what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and  height"; 
and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge:"  (c) 
as  though  he  would  labour  to  surround  our  minds  with  barriers, 
that  wherever  mention  is  made  of  Christ,  they  may  not  decline 
in  the  smallest  degree  from  the  grace  of  reconciliation.  Where- 
fore since  "  this  is"  testified  by  Paul  to  be  "  a  faithful  saying-, 
that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,"  (</)  I 
gladly  acquiesce  in  it.  And  since  the  same  apostle  in  another 
place  informs  us,  that  "  the  grace,  which  is  now  made  manifest 
by  the  gospel,  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world 
began:"  (e)  I  conclude  that  I  ought  to  persevere  in  the  same 
doctrine  with  constancy  to  the  end.  This  modesty  is  unrea- 
sonably censured  by  Osiander,  who  in  the  present  age  has  un- 
happily agitated  this  question,  which  a  few  persons  had  slightly 
touched  before.  He  alleges  a  charge  of  presumption  again  r 
those  who  deny  that  the  Son  of  God  would  have  appeared  in 

(A)  Eph.  i.  4,  &c.  (c)  Eph.  Hi.  18,  f?- 

(cf)  1  Tim.  i.  15  0)  2  Tim.  i.  V. 


504.  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

the  flesh,  if  Adam  had  never  fallen;  because  this  tenet  is  con- 
tradicted by  no  testimony  of  Scripture.  As  if  Paul  laid  no 
restraint  on  such  perverse  curiosity,  when,  after  having  spoken 
of  the  accomplishment  of  our  redemption  by  Christ,  he  imme- 
diately adds  this  injunction:  "Avoid  foolish  questions."  (f) 
The  frenzy  of  some,  that  have  been  desirous  of  appearing  pro- 
digiously acute,  has  proceeded  to  such  a  length  as  to  question, 
whether  the  Son  of  God  could  assume  the  nature  of  an  ass. 
This  monstrous  supposition,  which  all  pious  persons  justly 
abhor  and  detest,  Osiander  excuses  under  this  pretext,  that  it 
is  no  where  in  Scripture  expressly  condemned.  As  if,  when 
Paul  esteems  nothing  valuable  or  worthy  of  being  known  but 
Christ  crucified,  he  would  receive  an  ass  as  the  author  of 
salvation.  Therefore  he  \vho  in  another  place  declares  that 
Christ  was  appointed  by  the  eternal  decree  of  the  Father  as 
"the  head  over  all,"  (g)  would  never  acknowledge  any  other 
who  had  not  been  appointed  to  the  office  of  a  Redeemer. 

VI.  But  the  principle  which  he  boasts,  is  altogether  frivo 
lous.  He  maintains  that  man  was  created  in  the  image  of 
God,  because  he  was  formed  in  the  similitude  of  the  future 
Messiah,  that  he  might  resemble  him  whom  the  Father  had 
already  decreed  to  clothe  with  flesh.  Whence  he  concludes, 
that  if  Adam  had  never  fallen  from  his  primitive  integrity, 
Christ  would  nevertheless  have  become  man.  How  nugatory 
and  forced  this  is,  all  who  possess  a  sound  judgment  readily 
perceive:  but  he  supposes  that  he  has  been  the  first  to  discover 
wherein  the  Divine  image  consisted;  namely,  that  the  glory  of 
God  not  only  shone  in  those  eminent  talents  with  which  man 
was  endued,  but  that  God  himself  essentially  resided  in  him. 
Now  though  I  admit  that  Adam  bore  the  Divine  image,  inas- 
much as  he  was  united  to  God,  which  is  true  dignity  and 
consummate  perfection;  yet  I  contend  that  the  similitude  of 
God  is  to  be  sought  only  in  those  characters  of  excellence, 
with  which  God  distinguished  Adam  above  the  other  creatures- 
And  that  Christ  was  even  then  the  image  of  God,  is  universally 
allowed;  and  therefore  whatever  excellence  was  impressed  on 
Adam  proceeded  from  this  circumstance,  that  he  approached 

(/)  Titus  iii.  9.  (£)  Eph.  i.  22. 


.  xii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  SG5 

to  the  glory  of  his  Maker  by  means  of  his  only-begotten  Son. 
Man  therefore  was  made  in  the  image  of  God,  and  was  designed 
to  be  a  mirror  to  display  the  glory  of  his  Creator.  He  was 
exalted  to  this  degree  of  honour  by  the  favour  of  the  only- 
begotten  Son,  but  I  add,  that  this  Son  was  a  common  head  to 
angels  as  well  as  to  men:  so  that  the  angels  also  were  entitled 
to  the  same  dignity  which  was  conferred  on  man.  And  when 
we  hear  them  called  the  "  children  of  God,"  (A)  it  would  be  un- 
reasonable to  deny  that  they  have  some  resemblance  to  their 
Father.  But  if  he  designed  his  glory  to  be  represented  in 
angels  as  well  as  in  men,  and  to  be  equally  conspicuous  in  the 
angelic  as  in  the  human  nature,  Osiander  betrays  his  ignorance 
and  folly  in  saying  that  men  were  preferred  to  angels,  because 
the  latter  did  not  bear  the  image  of  Christ.  For  unless  they 
were  like  him,  they  could  not  constantly  enjoy  the  present 
contemplation  of  God:  and  Paul  teaches  us  that  men  are  no 
otherwise  renewed  after  the  image  of  God  than  that,  if  they  be 
associated  with  angels,  they  may  be  united  together  under  one 
head,  (z)  Finally,  if  we  give  credit  to  Christ,  our  ultimate  feli- 
city, when  we  shall  be  received  into  heaven,  will  consist  in  being 
conformed  to  the  angels.  But  if  Osiander  may  infer,  that  the 
primary  exemplar  of  the  Divine  image  was  taken  from  the 
human  nature  of  Christ,  with  the  same  justice  may  any  other 
person  contend,  that  Christ  must  have  been  made  a  par- 
taker of  the  nature  of  angels,  because  they  likewise  possess 
the  image  of  God.  »- 

VII.  Osiander  then  has  no  reason  to  fear,  that  God  could 
possibly  be  proved  a  liar,  unless  the  decree  concerning  the 
Incarnation  of  his  Son  had  been  previously  and  immutably 
fixed  in  his  mind.  Because  though  Adam  had  not  fallen  from 
his  integrity,  yet  he  wotild  have  resembled  God  just  as  the 
angels  do;  and  yet  it  would  not  have  been  necessary  on  that 
account  for  the  Son  of  God  to  become  either  a  man  or  an 
angel.  Nor  has  he  any  cause  to  fear  this  absurdity,  if  God 
had  not  immutably  decreed,  before  the  creation  of  man,  that 
Christ  should  be  born,  not  as  a  Redeemer,  but  as  the  first  man, 
that  he  might  not  lose  his  prerogative:  whereas  now  he  would 

(A)  Psalm  Ixxjii.  6.  (»)  Col.  ii.  10. 

VOL.  I.  3  S 


506  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

not  have  become  incarnate  but  for  an  accidental  cause,  that  is 
to  restore  mankind  from  ruin;  so  that  he  might  thence  infer, 
that  Christ  was  created  after  the  image  of  Adam.  For  why 
should  he  dread,  what  the  Scripture  so  plainly  teaches,  that 
he  was  made  like  us  in  all  things,  sin  excepted?  (£)  whence  also 
Luke  hesitates  not  in  his  genealogy  to  call  him  "  the  son  of 
Adam."  (/)  I  would  wish  to  know  why  Paul  styles  Christ  "  the 
second  Adam,"  (m)  but  because  he  was  destined  to  become  man, 
in  order  to  extricate  the  posterity  of  Adam  from  ruin.  If  he 
sustained  that  capacity  before  the  creation,  he  ought  to  have 
been  called  "  the  first  Adam."  O'siander  boldly  affirms,  that 
because  Christ  was  already  foreknown  as  man  in  the  Divine 
mind,  therefore  men  were  formed  in  his  likeness.  But  Paul,  by 
denominating  him  "  the  second  Adam,"  places  the  fall,  whence 
arises  the  necessity  of  restoring  our  nature  to  its  primitive  con- 
dition, in  an  intermediate  point  between  the  first  original  of 
mankind  and  the  restitution  which  we  obtain  through  Christ: 
whence  it  follows  that  the  fall  was  the  cause  of  the  incarnation 
of  the  Son  of  God.  Now  Osiander  argues  unreasonably  and 
impertinently,  that  while  Adam  retained  his  integrity,  he 
would  he  the  image  of  himself,  and  not  of  Christ.  On  the 
contrary,  I  reply,  that  although  the  Son  of  God  had  never  been 
incarnate,  both  the  body  and  the  soul  of  man  would  equally 
have  displayed  the  image  of  God;  in  whose  radiance  it  always 
appeared,  that  Christ  was  truly  the  head,  possessing  the  supre- 
macy over  all.  And  thus  we  destroy  that  futile  subtilty  raised 
by  Osiander,  that  the  angels  would  have  been  destitute  of  this 
head,  unless  God  had  decreed  to  clothe  his  Son  with  flesh,  even 
without  any  transgression  of  Adam.  For  he  too  inconsiderately 
takes  for  granted,  what  no  wise  man  will  concede,  that  Christ 
has  no  supremacy  over  angels,  and  that  he  is  not  their  Prince, 
except  in  his  human  nature.  But  we  may  easily  conclude  from 
the  language  of  Paul,  that,  as  the  eternal  Word  of  God,  he  i* 
"  the  first-born  of  every  creature;"  (n)  not  that  he  was  created, 
or  ought  to  be  numbered  among  creatures:  but  because  the 
holy  state  of  the  world,  adorned  as  it  was  at  the  beginning  with 
consummate  beauty,  had  no  other  author;  and  that  afterwards, 

(Jt)  Heb.  iv.  15.  (/)  Luke  iii.  38. 

O)  1  Cor.  xv.  45,  47.  (71)  Col.  i.  IS, 


CHAP,  xii.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  507 

as  man,  he  was  "  the  first-begotten  from  the  dead."  For  in  one 
short  passage  he  proposes  to  our  consideration  both  these 
points:  that  all  things  were  created  by  the  Son,  that  he  might 
have  dominion  over  angels;  and  that  he  was  made  man,  that 
he  might  become  our  Redeemer,  (o)  Another  proof  of  Osi- 
ander's  ignorance  is  his  assertion,  that  men  would  not  have 
had  Christ  for  their  King,  if  he  had  not  been  incarnate.  As 
though  the  kingdom  of  God  could  not  subsist,  if  the  eternal  Son 
of  God,  without  being  invested  with  humanity,  uniting  angels 
and  men  in  the  participation  of  his  glorious  life,  had  himself 
held  the  supreme  dominion.  But  he  is  always  deceived,  or 
rather  bewilders  himself  in  this  false  principle,  that  the  Church 
would  have  been  destitute  of  a  head,  if  Christ  had  not  been 
manifested  in  the  flesh.  As  if,  while  he  was  head  over  angels, 
he  could  not  likewise  by  his  Divine  power  preside  over  men, 
and  by  the  secret  energy  of  his  Spirit  animate  and  support 
them,  like  his  own  body,  till  they  should  be  exalted  to  heaven, 
and  enjoy  the  life  of  angels.  These  impertinencies,  which  I 
have  thus  far  refuted,  Osiander  esteems  as  incontrovertible 
oracles.  Inebriated  by  the  charms  of  his  own  speculations,  he 
is  accustomed  to  express  himself  in  the  language  of  ridiculous 
triumph,  without  any  sufficient  cause.  But  he  quotes  one 
passage  more,  which  he  asserts  to  be  conclusive  beyond  all  the 
rest;  that  is,  the  prophecy  of  Adam,  who  when  he  saw  his  wife, 
said,  "  This  is  now  bone  of  my  bone,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh."  (f) 
But  how  does  he  prove  this  to  be  a  prophecy?  because  Christ, 
according  to  Matthew,  attributes  the  same  language  to  God. 
As  though  every  thing  that  God  hath  spoken  by  men  con- 
tained some  prophecy.  Then  Osiander  may  seek  for  prophecies 
in  each  of  the  precepts  of  the  law,  of  which  it  is  evident  God 
was  the  author.  Besides,  Christ  would  have  been  a  low  and 
grovelling  expositor,  if  he  had  confined  himself  to  the  literal 
sense.  Because  he  is  treating,  not  of  the  mystical  union,  with 
which  he  hath  honoured  his  Church,  but  only  of  conjugal 
fidelity;  he  informs  us,  that  God  had  pronounced  a  husband 
and  wife  to  be  one  flesh,  that  no  one  might  attempt  by  a  divorce 
to  violate  that  indissoluble  bond.  If  Osiander  be  displeased 

Co)  Col.  5.  16, 18.  <»  Gen.  ii.  23. 


508  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

with  this  simplicity,  let  him  censure  Christ,  because  he  did 
not  conduct  his  disciples  to  a  mystery,  by  a  more  subtile  inter- 
pretation of  the  language  of  the  Father.  Nor  does  his  de- 
Jirious  imagination  obtain  any  support  from  Paul,  who  after 
having  said  that  "we  are  members  of  Christ's  flesh,"  imme- 
diately adds,  "  this  is  a  great  mystery."  (?)  For  the  apostle's 
design  was,  pot  to  explain  tht  sense  in  which  Adam  spake,  but, 
under  the  figure  and  similitude  of  marriage,  to  display  the 
sacred  union  which  makes  us  one  with  Christ.  And  this  is 
implied  in  his  very  words;  for  when  he  apprizes  us  that  he  is 
speaking  of  Christ  and  the  Church,  he  introduces  a  kind  of 
correction  to  distinguish  between  the  law  of  marriage  and  the 
spiritual  union  of  Christ  and  the  Church.  Wherefore  this 
futile  notion  appears  destitute  of  any  solid  foundation.  Nor 
do  I  think  there  will  be  any  necessity  for  me  to  discuss  similar 
subtileties;  since  the  vanity  of  them  all  will  be  discovered  from 
the  foregoing  very  brief  refutation.  But  this  sober  declaration 
will  be  amply  sufficient  for  the  solid  satisfaction  of  the  children  of 
God;  that  "  when  the  fulness  of  the  time  was  come,  God  sent 
forth  his  Son,  matde  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  to  redeem 
them  that  were  under  the  law."  (r) 


CHAPTER  XIII, 

Christ's  Assumption  of  real  Humanity. 

JL  HE  arguments  for  the  divinity  of  Christ,  which  kas  already 
been  proved  by  clear  and  irrefragable  testimonies,  it  would,  I 
conceive,  be  unnecessary  to  reiterate.  It  remains  then  for  us, 
to  examine,  how,  after  having  been  invested  with  our  flesh,  he_ 
has  performed  the  office  of  a  Mediator.  Now  the  reality  ojf 
his  humanity  was  anciently  opposed  by  the  Manichseans  and 
by  the  Marcionites.  Of  whom  the  latter  imagined  to  them- 
selves a  visionary  phantom  instead  of  the  body  of  Christ;  and 
the  former  dreamed  that  he  had  a  celestial  body.  But  both 

(?)  Eph.  v.  30,  32.  (r)  Gal.  iv..4. 


CHAP,  xiii.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION,  509 

these  notions  are  contrary  to  numerous  and  powerful  testi- 
monies of  Scripture.  For  the  blessing  is  promised,  neither  in 
a  heavenly  seed,  nor  in  a  phantom  of  a  man,  but  in  the  seed  of 
Abraham  and  Jacob:  nor  is  the  eternal  throne  promised  to  an 
aerial  man,  but  to  the  Son  of  David  and  the  fruit  cf  his  loins,  (s) 
Wherefore  on  his  manifestation  in  the  flesh,  he  is  called  the 
Son  of  David  and  of  Abraham,  not  because  he  was  merely 
born  of  the  virgin  after  having  been  formed  of  some  aerial 
substance;  but  because,  according  to  Paul,  he  was  "  made  of 
the  seed  of  David  according  to  the  flesh;"  as  the  same  apostle 
in  another  place  informs  us,  that  "  according  to  the  flesh"  he 
descended  from  the  Jews.  (?)  Wherefore  the  Lord  himself, 
not  content  with  the  appellation  of  man^  frequently  calls  him- 
self also  the  Son  of  man,  a  term  which  he  intended  as  a  more 
express  declaration  of  his  real  humanity.  As  the  Holy  Spirit 
hath  on  so  many  occasions,  by  so  many  instruments,  and  with 
such  great  diligence  and  simplicity,  declared  a  fact  by  no 
means  abstruse  in  itself,  who  could  have  supposed  that  any 
mortals  would  have  such  consummate  impudence  as  to  dare  to 
obscure  it  with  subtileties?  But  more  testimonies  offer  them- 
selves, if  we  wished  to  multiply  them;  such  as  this  of  Paul,  that 
"  God  sent  forth  his  Son  made  of  a  woman;"  (v)  and  innu- 
merable others,  from  which  he  appears  to  have  been  liable  to 
hunger,  thirst,  cold,  and  other  infirmities  of  our  nature.  But 
from  the  multitude  we  must  chiefly  select  those,  which  may 
conduce  to  the  edification  of  our  minds  in  true  faith:  as 
when  it  is  said,  that  "  he  took  not  on  him  the  nature  of 
angels;  but  he  took  on  him  the  seed  of  Abraham;"  that  he 
took  flesh  and  blood,  "  that  through  death  he  might  destroy 
him  that  had  the  power  of  death:"  for  which  cause  he  is  not 
ashamed  to  call  them  brethren:  (hat  "  in  all  things  it  behoved 
him  to  be  made  like  unto  his  brethren;  that  he  might  be  a 
merciful  and  faithful  high-priest:"  that  "  we  have  not  an 
high-priest  which  cannot  be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our 
infirmities:"  (x)  and  .the  like.  To  the  same  purpose  is  what 
we  have  just  befoie  mentioned,  that  it  was  necessary  forjthc 

(*)  Gen.  xii.  3.  xviii.  18.  xxii.  I«.  xxvi.  4.       Acts  iii.  25.  ii.  30.     Psalm 
cxxxii.  11.  Matt.  i.  1.  (t)  Rom.  i.  3.  ix.  5.  (?)  Gal.  iv.  4. 

(x)  Heb.  ii.  14, 16, 17.  iv.  15, 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOO*  ij. 

sins  of  the  world  to  be  expiated  in  our  flesh;  which  is  clearly 
asserted  by  Paul,  (y)  And  certainly  all  that  the  Father  hath  con- 
ferred on  Christ,  belongs  to  us,  because  he  "  is  the  head,  from 
whom  the  whole  body  is  fitly  joined  together,  and  compacted 
by  that  which  every  joint  supplieth."  (z)  There  will  otherwise  be 
no  propriety  in  the  declaration,  "  that  God  giveth  the  Spirit 
not  by  measure  unto  him,  that  we  may  all  receive  of  his  ful- 
ness:" (a)  since  nothing  would  be  more  absurd,  than  that  God 
should  be  enriched  in  his  essence  by  any  adventitious  gift.  For 
this  reason  also  Christ  himself  says  in  another  place,  "  For 
their  sakes  I  sanctify  myself."  (£) 

II.  The  passages  which  they  adduce  in  confirmation  of  this 
error,  they  most  foolishly  pervert;  nor  do  their  frivolous 
subtileties  at  all  avail  them  in  their  endeavours  to  obviate  the 
arguments  which  I  have  advanced  in  defence  of  our  sentiments. 
Marcion  imagines  that  Christ  invested  himself  with  a  phantom 
instead  of  a  real  body:  because  he  is  said  to  have  been  "  made 
in  the  likeness  of  men,"  and  to  have  been  "  found  in  fashion  as 
a  man."  (c)  But  in  drawing  this  conclusion,  he  totally  overlooks 
the  scope  of  Paul  in  that  passage.  For  his  design  is,  not  to 
describe  the  nature  of  the  body  which  Christ  assumed,  but  to 
assert  that  whilst  he  might  have  displayed  his  divinity,  he 
manifested  himself  in  the  condition  of  an  abject  and  despised 
man.  For  to  exhort  us  to  humility  by  the  example  of  Christ, 
he  shews,  that  being  God,  he  might  have  instantaneously  made 
a  conspicuous  exhibition  of  his  glory  to  the  world;  yet  that 
he  receded  from  his  right,  and  voluntarily  debased  himself, 
for  that  he  assumed  the  form  of  a  servant,  and,  content  with 
that  humble  station,  suffered  his  divinity  to  be  hidden  behind 
the  veil  of  humanity.  The  subject  of  this  statement,  without 
doubt,  is  not  the  nature  of  Christ,  but  his  conduct.  From  the 
whole  context  also  it  is  easy  to  infer,  that  Christ  humbled  him- 
self by  the  assumption  of  a  real  human  nature.  For  what  is  the 
meaning  of  this  clause,  "  that  he  was  found  in  fashion  as  a 
man:"  but  that  for  a  time  his  Divine  glory  was  invisible,  and 
nothing  appeared  but  the  human  form,  in  a  mean  and  abject 
condition?  For  otherwise  there  would  be  no  foundation  for 

om.  viii.3.        (z~)  Eph.  iv.  15,  16.  («)  John  iii.  34.  i.  1ft 

John  xvii.  19.    (c)  Phil.  ii.  7,  8. 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  511 

this  assertion  of  Peter,  that  he  was  "  put  to  death  in  the  flesh, 
but  quickened  by  the  Spirit:"  (</)  if  the  Son  of  God  had  not 
been  subject  to  the  infirmities  of  human  nature.  This  is  more 
plainly  expressed  by  Paul,  when  he  says,  that  "  he  was  cru- 
cified through  weakness."  (e)  The  same  is  confirmed  by  his 
exaltation,  because  he  is  positively  asserted  to  have  obtained  a 
new  glory  after  his  humiliation;  which  could  only  be  applicable 
to  a  real  man  composed  of  body  and  soul.  Manichseus  fabri- 
cates for  Christ  an  aerial  jxxly;  because  he  is  called  "the 
second  Adam,  the  Lord  from  heaven."  (f)  But  the  apostle  in 
that  place  is  not  speaking  of  a  celestial  corporeal  essence,  but 
of  a  spiritual  energy,  which  being  diffused  from  Christ  raises 
us  into  life.  That  energy  we  have  already  seen,  that  Peter  and 
Paul  distinguish  from  his  body.  The  orthodox  doctrine  there- 
fore, concerning  the  body  of  Christ,  is  firmly  established  by  this 
very  passage.  For  unless  Christ  had  the  same  corporeal 
nature  with  us,  there  would  be  no  force  in  the  argument 
which  Paul  so  vehemently  urges,  that  if  Christ  be  risen  from 
the  dead,  then  we  also  shall  rise;  that  if  we  rise  not,  neither  is 
Christ  risen.  (^  Of  whatever  cavils  either  the  ancient  Mani- 
chjeans,  or  their  modern  disciples,  endeavour  to  avail  them- 
selves, they  cannot  succeed.  Their  nugatory  pretence  that 
Christ  is  called  "  the  Son  of  man,"  because  he  was  promised  to 
men,  is  a  vain  subterfuge:  for  it  is  evident  that  in  the  Hebrew 
idiom,  the  Son  of  man  is  a  phrase  expressive  of  a  real  man. 
And  Christ  undoubtedly  retained  the  phraseology  of  his  own 
language.  There  is  no  room  for  disputing  what  is  meant  by 
the  sons  of  Adam.  And  not  to  go  any  farther,  it  will  be  fully 
sufficient  to  quote  a  passage  in  the  eighth  Psalm,  which  the 
apostles  apply  to  Christ:  "  What  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful 
of  him,  or  the  Son  of  man,  that  thou  visitesthim?"  This  phrase 
expresses  the  true  humanity  of  Christ;  because,  though  he  was 
not  immediately  begotten  by  a  mortal  father,  yet  his  descent 
was  derived  from  Adam.  Nor  would  there  otherwise  be  any 
truth  in  what  we  have  just  quoted,  that  Christ  became  a  par- 
taker of  flesh  and  blood,  that  he  might  bring  many  sons  to 
glory:  language  whkh  clearly  styles  him  to  be  a  partaker  of 

(<0  1  Peter  Hi.  18.  (<r)  2  Cor.  xiii.  4. 

C/)  1  Cor.  TV.  47.  ( jf)  1  Cor.  xv.  13,  14. 


312  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  if. 

the  same  common  nature  with  us.  In  the  same  sense  the  apostle* 
says,  that  "  both  he  that  sanctifieth  and  they  who  are  sancti- 
fied are  all  of  one."  For  the  context  proves  that  this  refers  to 
a  community  of  nature;  because  he  immediately  adds,  "  for 
which  cause  he  is  not  ashamed  to  call  them  brethren."  (A)  For 
if  he  had  already  said  that  the  faithful  are  of  God,  what  reason 
could  Jesus  Christ  have  to  be  ashamed  of  such  great  dignity? 
But  because  Christ  of  his  infinite  grace  associates  himself  with 
those  who  arc  vile  and  contemptible,  it  is  therefore  said  that  he- 
is  not  ashamed.  It  is  a  vain  objection  which  they  make,  that 
on  this  principle  the  impious  will  become  the  brethren  of 
Christ;  because  we  know  that  the  children  of  God  are  born, 
not  of  flesh  and  blood,  but  of  the  Spirit  through  faith:  there- 
fore a  community  of  nature  alone  is  not  sufficient  to  constitute 
a  fraternal  union.  But  though  it  is  only  to  the  faithful  that 
the  apostle  assigns  the  honour  of  being  one  with  Christ,  yet  it 
does  not  follow  that  unbelievers  are  not,  according  to  the  flesh, 
born  of  the  same  original:  as  when  we  say  that  Christ  was 
made  man,  to  make  us  children  of  God,  this  expression  extends 
not  to  all  men;  because  faith  is  the  medium  by  which  we  are 
spiritually  ingrafted  into  the  body  of  Christ.  They  likewise 
raise  a  foolish  contention  respecting  the  appellation  of  first- 
born. They  plead  that  Christ  ought  to  have  been  born  at  the 
beginning,  immediately  of  Adam,  in  order  "that  he  might  be 
die  first-born  among  many  brethren."  (/)  But  the  primogeni- 
ture attributed  to  him  refers  not  to  age,  but  to  the  degree  ol 
honour  and  the  eminence  ,of  power  which  he  enjoys.  Nor 
is  there  any  more  plausibility  in  their  notion,  that  Christ  is 
said  to  have  assumed  the  nature  of  man  and  not  of  angels,  be- 
cause he  received  the  human  race  into  his  favour.  For  the 
apostle,  to  magnify  the  honour  with  which  Christ  hath  favoured 
us,  compares  us  with  the  angels,  before  whom  in  this  respect  we 
are  preferred.  (>£)  And  if  the  testimony  of  Moses  be  duly 
considered,  where  he  says  that  the  Seed  of  the  woman  shall 
bruise  the  head  of  the  serpent,  (/)  it  will  decide  the  whole  con- 
troversy. For  that  prediction  relates  not  to  Christ  alone,  but 
to  the  whole  human  race.  Because  the  victory  was  to  be  gained 

(fc)  Heb.  ii.  10,  11,  U.  (i)  Rom.  via.  29. 

fk)  Hcb.  ii.  16.  (/)  Gen.  iii.  15. 


CHAP,  xiii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  513 

for  us  by  Christ,  God  pronounces  in  general,  that  the  poste- 
rity of  the  woman  shall  be  superior  to  the  devil.  Whence  it 
follows,  that  Christ  descended  from  the  human  race;  because 
the  design  of  God,  in  that  promise  to  Eve,  was  to  comfort  her 
with  a  good  hope,  that  she  might  not  be  overcome  with 
sorrow. 

III.  Those  passages,  where  Christ  is  called  "the  seed  of 
Abraham,"  and  "  the  fruit  of  the  body  of  David,"  they  with 
equal  folly  and  wickedness  involve  in  allegories.  For  if  the 
word  seed  had  been  used  in  an  allegorical  sense,  Paul  certainly 
would  not  have  been  silent  respecting  it,  where  without  any 
figure  he  explicitly  affirms,  that  there  are  not  many  sons  of 
Abraham  who  are  redeemers,  but  Christ  alone,  (jn)  Equally 
unfounded  is  their  notion,  that  Christ  is  called  the  Son  of 
David  in  no  other  sense,  but  because  he  had  been  promised, 
and  was  at  length  manifested  in  due  time.  For  after  Paul  has 
declared  him  to  have  been  "  made  of  the  seed  of  David,"  the 
immediate  addition  of  this  phrase,  "  according  to  the  flesh,"  (n) 
is  certainly  a  designation  of  nature.  Thus  also  in  another 
place  he  calls  him  "  God  blessed  for  ever,"  and  distinctly  states 
that  he  descended  from  the  Jews  "  as  concerning  the  flesh."  (o) 
Now  if  he  was  not  really  begotten  of  the  seed  of  David,  what 
is  the  meaning  of  this  expression:  "  the  fruit  of  his  loins?"  (/») 
What  becomes  of  this  promise:  "Of  the 'fruit  of  thy  body 
will  I  set  upon  thy  throne."  (eft  They  likewise  trifle  in  a 
sophistical  manner  with  the  genealogy  of  Christ,  as  it  is  given 
by  Matthew.  For  though  he  mentions  the  parents  of  Joseph 
and  not  of  Mary;  yet  as  he  was  treating  of  a  thing  then  ge- 
nerally known,  he  thought  it  sufficient  to  shew  that  Joseph 
descended  from  the  seed  of  David,  while  there  could  be  no 
doubt  that  Mary  was  of  the  same  family.  But  Luke  goes 
farther,  with  a  view  to  signify,  that  the  salvation  procured  by 
Christ  is  common  to  all  mankind;  since  Christ  the  author  of 
salvation  is  descended  from  Adam  the  common  parent  of  all. 
I  grant  indeed,  that  from  the  genealogy  it  cannot  be  inferred 
that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  David,  any  otherwise  than  as  he  was 

(TO)  Gal.  iii.  16.  (»)  Rom.  i.  3.  (o)  Rom.  ix.  5. 

(/>)  Acts  ii.  30.  (7)  Psalm  cxxxii.  11. 

VOL.  I.  3  T 


514  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

born  of  the  Virgin.  But  the  modern  Marcionites,  to  give  a 
plausibility  to  their  error,  that  Christ  derived  his  body  from 
nothing,  contend  that  women  have  no  generative  semen;  and 
thus   they  subvert    the  elements  of  nature.    But   as   this    is 
not  a  theological  question,  and  the  arguments  which  they  ad- 
duce are  so  futile  that  there  will  be  no  difficulty  in  repelling 
them,  I  shall  not  meddle  with  points  belonging  to  philosophy 
and  the  medical  art.  It  will  be  sufficient  for  me  to  obviate  the 
objection  which  they  allege  from  the  Scripture,  namely,  that 
Aaron  and  Jehoiada  married  wives  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and 
that  thus,  if  women  contain  generative  semen,  the  distinction  of 
tribes  was  confounded.  But  it  is  sufficiently  known,  that,  for 
the  purposes  of  political   regulation,  the  posterity  is  always 
reckoned  from  the  father;  yet  that  the  superiority  of  the  male 
sex  forms  no  objection  to  the  co-operation  of  the  female  semen 
in  the  process  of  generation.  This  solution  extends  to  all  the 
genealogies.  Frequently,  when  the  Scripture  exhibits  a  cata- 
logue of  names,  it  mentions  none  but  men;  is  it  therefore  to 
be  concluded  that  women  are  nothing?   Even  children  them- 
selves know  that  women  are  comprehended  under  their  hus- 
bands.  For  this  reason  women  are  said  to  bear  children  to 
their  husbands,  because  the  name  of  the  family  always  remains 
with  the  males.  Now  as  it  is  a  privilege  conceded  to  the  supe- 
riority of  the  male  sex,  that    children  should   be  accounted 
noble  or  ignoble,  according  to  the  condition  of  their  fathers; 
so  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  held  by  the  lawyers,  that  in  a  state  of 
slavery  the  offspring    follows    the    condition  of   the    mother. 
Whence  we  may  infer,  that  the  offspring  is  produced  partly 
from  the  seed  of  the  mother:  and  the  common  language  of 
all  nations  implies  that  mothers  have  some  share  in  the  genera- 
tion of  children.  This  is  in  harmony  with  the  Divine  law, 
which  otherwise  would  have  no  ground  for  the  prohibition  of 
the  marriage  of  an  uncle  with  his  sister's  daughter;  because  in 
that  case  there  would  be  no  consanguinity.  It  would  also  be 
lawful  for  a  man  to  marry  his  uterine  sister,  provided  she  were 
begotten  by  another  father.  But  while  I  grant  that  a  passive 
power  is  ascribed  to  women,  I  also  maintain  that  the  same  that 
is  affirmed  of  men  is  indiscriminately  predicated  of  them.  Nor 


CHAP,  xiii.j      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  515 

is  Christ  himself  said  to  be  "  made"  by  a  woman,  but  "  of  a 
woman."  (r)  Some  of  these  persons,  casting  off  all  modesty, 
impudently  inquire,  whether  we  choose  to  say  that  Christ  was 
procreated  from  the  menstrual  seed  of  the  Virgin.  I  will 
inquire  on  the  other  hand,  whether  he  was  not  nourished  in 
the  blood  of  his  mother;  and  this  they  must  be  constrained  to 
confess.  It  is  properly  inferred  therefore  from  the  language  of 
Matthew,  that  inasmuch  as  Christ  was  begotten  of  Mary,  (*) 
he  was  procreated  from  her  seed;  as  when  Booz  is  said  to  have 
been  begotten  of  Rahab,  (*)  it  denotes  a  similar  generation. 
Nor  is  it  the  design  of  Matthew  here  to  describe  the  Virgin  as 
a  tube  through  which  Christ  passed,  but  to  discriminate  this 
miraculous  conception  from  ordinary  generation,  in  that  Jesus 
Christ  was  generated  of  the  seed  of  David  by  means  of  a 
Virgin.  In  the  same  sense,  and  for  the  same  reason  that  Isaac 
is  said  to  have  been  begotten  of  Abraham,  Solomon  of  David, 
and  Joseph  of  Jacob,  so  Christ  is  said  to  have  been  begotten  of 
his  mother.  For  the  evangelist  has  written  the  whole  of  his 
account  upon  this  principle;  and  to  prove  that  Christ  de- 
scended from  David,  he  has  contented  himself  with  this  one 
fact,  that  he  was  begotten  of  Mary.  Whence  it  follows,  that 
he  took  for  granted  the  consanguinity  of  Mary  and  Joseph. 

IV.  The  absurdities,  with  which  these  opponents  wish  to 
press  us,  are  replete  with  puerile  cavils.  They  esteem  it  mean 
and  dishonourable  to  Christ,  that  he  should  derive  his  descent 
from  men;  because  he  could  not  be  exempt  from  the  universal 
law,  which  concludes  all  the  posterity  of  Adam,  without  excep- 
tion, under  sin.  (t?)  But  the  antithesis,  which  we  find  in  Paul, 
easily  solves  this  difficulty:  "  As  by  one  man  sin  entered  into 
the  world,  and  death  by  sin,  even  so  by  the  righteousness  of 
one  the  grace  of  God  hath  abounded."  (tu)  To  this  the  fol- 
lowing passage  corresponds:  "The  first  man  is  of  the  earth, 
earthy:  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven."  (#)  There- 
fore the  same  apostle  in  another  place,  by  teaching  us  that 
Christ  was  "  sent  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh"  (y)  to  satisfy  the 

(r)  Gal.  iv.  4.  (s~)  Matt.  i.  16.  E?  »f  t-ymtfrt  Ivervs, 

(f)  Matt.  i.  o.  SctAjuwv  Si  rymwrt  lot  Boot  e*  7»f  P«^aC. 
(T>)  Gal.  iii.  22.  (70)  Rom.  v.  12, 15, 1 8. 

(*)  1  Cor.  xv.  47.  (7)  Rom.  via.  3. 


516  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

law,  expressly  distinguishes  him  from  the  common  condition 
of  mankind;  so  that  he  is  a  real  man,  and  yet  free  from  alt 
fault  and  corruption.  They  betray  their  ignorance  in  arguing 
that,  if  Christ  be  perfectly  immaculate,  and  was  begotten  of 
the  seed  of  Mary,  by  the  secret  operation  of  the  Spirit,  then 
it  follows  that  there  is  no  impurity  in  the  seed  of  women, 
but  only  in  that  of  men.  For  we  do  not  represent  Christ 
as  perfectly  immaculate,  merely  because  be  was  born  of  the 
seed  of  a  woman  unconnected  with  any  man,  but  because 
he  was  sanctTfie^Tby  tjieJSpirit,  so  that  his  generation  was  pure 
and  holy,  such  as  it  would  have  been  before  the  fall  of  Adam. 
And  it  is  a  fixed  maxim  with  us,  that  whenever  the  Scripture 
mentions  the  purity  of  Christ,  it  relates  to  a  real  humanity; 
because  to  assert  the  purity  of  Deity  would  be  quite  unneces- 
sary. The  sanctification  also,  of  which  he  speaks  in  the 
seventeenth  chapter  of  John,(z)  could  have  no  reference  to  the 
Divine  nature.  Nor  do  we,  as  they  pretend,  imagine  two 
kinds  of  seed  in  Adam,  notwithstanding  Christ  was  free  from 
all  contagion.  For  the  generation  of  man  is  not  naturally  and 
originally  impure  and  corrupt,  but  only  accidentally  so,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  fall.  Therefore  we  need  not  wonder,  that 
Christ,  who  was  to  restore  our  integrity,  was  exempted  from 
the  general  corruption.  But  what  they  urge  on  us  as  an  ab- 
surdity, that  if  the  Word  of  God  was  clothed  with  flesh,  it 
was  therefore  confined  within  the  narrow  prison  of  an  earthly 
body,  is  mere  impudence;  because  although  the  infinite  essence 
of  the  Word  is  united  in  one  person  with  the  nature  of  man, 
yet  we  have  no  idea  of  its  incarceration  or  confinement.  For 
the  Son  of  God  miraculously  descended  from  heaven,  yet  in 
such  a  manner  that  he  never  left  heaven;  he  chose  to  be  mira- 
culously conceived  in  the  womb  of  the  Virgin,  to  live  on  the 
earth,  and  to  be  suspended  on  the  cross;  and  yet  he  never 
ceased  to  fill  the  universe,  in  the  same  manner  as  from  the  be- 
ginning. 

(c)  John  xvii.  19. 


CHAP,  xiv.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  Sir 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  Union  of  the  Two  Natures  constituting-  the  Person  of  the 

Mediator. 

\V  HEN  it  is  said  that  "the  Word  was  made  flesh,"  (a)  this 
is  not  tp  be  understood  as  if  the  word  were  transmuted  into 
flesh,  or  blended  with  flesh.  Choosing  from  the  womb  of  the 
Virgin  a  temple  for  his  residence,  he  who  was  the  son  of  God, 
became  also  the  Son  of  man,  not  by  a  confusion  of  substance, 
but  by  a  unity  of  person.  For  we  assert  such  a  connection  and 
union  of  the  divinity  with  the  humanity,  that  each  nature 
retains  its  properties  entire^  and  yet  both  together  constitute 
one  Christ.  If  any  thing  among  men  can  be  found  to  resemble 
so  great  a  mystery,  man  himself  appears  to  furnish  the  most 
apposite  similitude;  being  evidently  composed  of  two  sub- 
stances, of  which  however  neither  is  so  confounded  with  the 
other,  as  not  to  retain  its  distinct  nature.  For  the  soul  is 
not  the  body,  nor  is  the  body  the  soul.  Wherefore  that  is 
predicated  separately  of  the  soul,  which  cannot  be  at  all  ap- 
plied to  the  body.  On  the  contrary,  that  is  predicated  of  the 
body,  which  is  totally  incompatible  with  the  soul.  And  that 
is  predicated  of  the  whole  man,  which  cannot  with  propriety  be 
understood  either  of  the  soul  or  of  the  body  alone.  Lastly, 
the  properties  of  the  soul  are  transferred  to  the  body,  and  the 
properties  of  the  body  to  the  soul;  yet  he  that  is  composed  of 
these  two  parts  is  no  more  than  one  man.  Such  forms  of 
expression  signify  that  there  is  in  man  one  person  composed 
Af  two  distinct  parts;  and  that  there  are  two  different  natures 
united  in  him  to  constitute  that  one  person.  The  Scriptures 
speak  in  a  similar  manner  respecting  Christ.  They  attri- 
bute to  him,  sometimes  those  things  which  are  applicable 
merely  to  his  humanity;  sometimes  those  things  which  belong 
peculiarly  to  his  divinity;  and  not  unfrequently  those  things 
which  comprehend  both  his  natures,  but  are  incompatible  with 
either  of  them  alone.  And  this  union  of  the  two  natures  in 

(a)  John  i.  14. 


618  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

Christ  they  so  carefully  maintain,  that  they  sometimes  attribute 
to  one  what  belongs  to  the  other;  a  mode  of  expression  which 
the  ancient  writers  called  a  communication  of  properties. 

II.  These  things  might  be  liable  to  objection,  if  the  Scrip- 
ture did  not  abound  with  passages,  which  prove  that  none  of 
them  is  of  human  invention.  What  Christ  asserted  concerning 
himself,  "  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am,"  (a)  was  very  inappli- 
cable to  his  humanity.  I  am  aware  of  the  cavil  with  which 
erroneous  spirits  would  corrupt  this  passage, — that  he  was  be- 
fore all  ages,  because  he  was  even  then  foreknown  as  the 
Redeemer,  as  well  in  the  decree  of  the  Father,  as  in  the  minds 
of  the  faithful.  But  as  he  clearly  distinguishes  the  day  of  his 
manifestation  from  his  eternal  essence,  and  professedly  urges 
his  antiquity,  in  proof  of  his  possessing  an  authority  in  which 
he  excels  Abraham,  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  challenges  to 
himself  what  is  peculiar  to  the  Deity.  Paul  asserts  him  to  be 
*'  the  first-born  of  every  creature,  that  he  is  before  all  things, 
and  that  by  him  all  things  consist:"  (£)  he  declares  himself, 
that  he  "  had  a  glory  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was,"  (c) 
and  that  he  co-operates  with  the  Father.  (J)  These  things  are 
equally  incompatible  with  humanity.  It  is  certain  that  these, 
and  such  as  these,  are  peculiar  attributes  of  divinity.  But  when 
he  is  called  the  "  servant"  of  the  Father,  (f)  when  it  is  stated  that 
he  "  increased  in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in  favour  with  God 
and  man;"  (y)  that  he  seeks  not  his  own  glory;  that  he  knows 
not  the  lust  day;  that  he  speaks  not  of  himself;  that  he  does 
not  his  own  will;  that  he  was  seen  and  handled;  (A)  all  this 
belongs  solely  to  his  humanity.  For  as  he  is  God,  he  is  inca- 
pable of  any  augmentation  whatever,  he  does  all  things  for  his 
own  glory,  and  there  is  nothing  concealed  from  him;  he  does 
all  things  according  to  the  decision  of  his  own  will,  and  is 
invisible  and  intangible.  And  yet  these  things  are  ascribed 
not  to  his  human  nature  separately,  but  to  himself,  as  though 
they  belonged  to  the  person  of  the  Mediator.  But  the  com- 
munication of  the  properties  is  exemplified  in  the  assertion  of 

^^   III    |  l        J||_^rT| .  _  _•  IOT-|— *- *-  * 

Paul    taut    "  God    purchased    the    Church    with    his    own 

(a)  John  viii.  58.  (/•>)  Col.  i.  15.  (c)  John  xvii.  5. 

(</)  John  v.  17.  (<;)  Isaiah  xlii.  1.  (/)  Luke  ii.  52. 

(A)  John  viii.  50.     Mark  xiii.  32.     John  xiv.  10.  vi.  38.     Luke  xxiv.  39. 


CHAP,  xiv.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  519 

blood,"  (z)  and  that  "  the  Lord  of  glory"  was  "  crucified."  (£) 
Also  in  what  John  says,  that  they  had  "  handled  the  Word  of 
life."  (/)  God  has  no  blood,  he  is  not  capable  of  suffering,  or 
of  being  touched  with  hands;  but  since  he,  who  was  at  once 
the  true  God  and  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  was  crucified  and  shed 
his  blood  for  us,  those  things  which  were  performed  in  his 
human  ^nature  are  improperly,  yet  not  without  reason,  trans- 
ferred to  the  divinity.  There  is  a  similar  example  of  this," 
where  John  teaches  us,  that  "  God  laid  down  his  life  for  us."  (m) 
There  also  the  property  of  the  humanity  is  transferred  to  the 
other  nature.  Again,  when  Christ,  while  he  still  lived  on  the 
earth,  said,  "  No  man  hath  ascended  up  to  heaven,  but  he  that 
came  down  from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of  man  which  is  in 
heaven:"  (n)  as  man,  and  in  the  body  which  he  had  assumed, 
he  certainly  was  not  at  that  time  in  heaven,  but  because  he  was 
both  God  and  man,  on  account  of  the  union  of  both  natures,  he 
attributed  to  one  what  belonged  to  the  other. 

III.  But  the  clearest  of  all  the  passages  declarative  of  the 
true  substance  of  Christ  are  those  which  comprehend  both  the 
natures  together;  such  as  abound  in  the  Gospel  of  John. 
For  it  is  not  with  exclusive  reference  to  the  Deity  or  the  hu- 
manity, but  respecting  the  complex  person  composed  of  both, 
that  we  find  it  there  stated;  that  he  hath  received  of  the  Fa- 
ther power  to  forgive  sins,  to  raise  up  whom  he  will,  to 
bestow  righteousness,  holiness,  and  salvation;  that  he  is  ap- 
pointed to  be  the  Judge  of  the  living  and  the  dead,  that  he, 
naay  receive  the  same  honour  as  the  Father;  (o)  finally,  that  he 
is  "  the  light  of  the  world,"  "  the  good  shepherd,"  "  the  on?y 
door,"  "  the  true  vine."  (/>)  For  with  such  prerogatives  was  thc 
Son  of  God  invested  at  his  manifestation  in  the  flesh;  which 
although  he  enjoyed  with  the  Father  before  the  creation  of 
the  world,  yet  not  in  the  same  manner  or  on  the  same  account; 
and  which  could  not  be  conferred  on  a  mere  man.  In  the  saw 
sense  also  it  is  reasonable  to  understand  the  declaration  of" 
Paul,  that  after  the  last  judgment  Christ  "  shall  deliver  up  the 
kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father."  (q)  Now  the  kingdom  oi 

(0  Acts  xx.  28.  (fr)  1  Cor.  ii.  8.          (?)  1  John  i.  1. 

(m)  I  John  iii.  16.        (n)  John  iii.  13.         (•»)  John  i.  29.  v.  21—23. 

(  p)  John  ix.  5.  x.  9,  11 .  xy.  1.  (7)  I  Cor.  xv.  24. 


520  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [JBOOK  n. 

the  Son  of  God,  which  had  no  beginning,  will  never  have  any 
end.  But  as  he  concealed  himself  under  the  meanness  of  the 
flesh,  and  humbled  himself  by  assuming  the  form  of  a  servant, 
and  laid  aside  his  external  majesty  in  obedience  to  the  Fa- 
ther, (r)  and  after  having  undergone  this  humiliation  was  at 
length  crowned  with  glory  and  honour,  and  exalted  to  supreme 
dominion,  (s")  that  before  him  "  every  knee  should  bow;"  (f) 
so  he  shall  then  surrender  to  the  Father  that  name  and  crown 
of  glory,  and  all  that  he  has  received  from  the  Father,  "  that 
God  may  be  all  in  all."  (P)  For  why  has  power  and  dominion 
been  given  to  him,  but  that  the  Father  may  rule  us  by  his 
hand?  In  this  sense  he  is  also  said  to  sit  at  the  right  hand  of 
the  Father.  But  this  is  only  temporary,  till  we  can  enjoy 
the  immediate  contemplation  of  the  Deity.  And  here  it  is 
impossible  to  excuse  the  error  of  the  ancients,  who,  for  want  of 
sufficient  attention  to  the  person  of  the  Mediator,  obscure  the 
genuine  sense  of  almost  all  the  doctrine  which  we  have  in  the 
Gospel  of  John,  and  involve  themselves  in  many  difficulties. 
Let  this  maxim,  then,  serve  us  as  a  key  to  the  true  sense;  that 
those  things  which  relate  to  the  office  of  the  Mediator,  are 
not  spoken  simply  of  his  divine  or  of  his  human  nature.  Christ 
therefore,  will  reign,  till  he  comes  to  judge  the  world,  foras- 
much as  he  connects  us  with  the  Father  as  far  as  is  compatible 
with  our  infirmity.  But  when  we  shall  participate  the  glory 
of  heaven,  and  see  God  as  he  is,  then  having  fulfilled  the  office 
of  Mediator,  he  will  cease  to  be  the  ambassador  of  the  Father, 
and  will  be  content  with  that  glory  which  he  enjoyed  before  the 
creation  of  the  world.  Nor  is  the  title  of  Lord  peculiarly  ap- 
plied to  the  person  of  Christ  in  any  other  respect,  than  as  it 
marks  an  intermediate  station  between  God  and  us.  This  is 
the  meaning  of  that  expression  of  Paul,  "  One  God,  of  whom 
are  ail  things;  and  one  Lord,  by  whom  are  all  things:"  (rv) 
namely,  to  whom  the  Father  hath  committed  a  temporary  do- 
minion, till  we  shall  be  admitted  to  the  immediate  presence  of 
his  Divine  majesty;  which  will  be  so  far  from  sustaining  any 
diminution  by  his  surrender  of  the  kingdom  to  the  Father, 
that  it  will  exhibit  itself  in  far  superior  splendour.  For  then 

(r)  Phil.  ii.  8.  (s)  Heb.  ii.  7.  CO  Phil-  "•  10. 

(t»)  1  Cor.  xv.  28.  (w)  1  Cor.  viii.  6. 


CHAP.  xiir.J     CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  521 

also  God  will  cease  to  be  the  head  of  Christ,  because  the  Deity 
of  Christ  himself,  which  is  still  covered  with  a  veil,  will  shine 
forth  in  all  its  native  effulgence. 

IV.  And  this  observation,  if  the  reader  make  a  judicious 
application  of  it,  will  be  of  great  use  towards  the  solution  of 
many  difficulties.  For  it  is  surprising  how  muqh  ignorant  per- 
sons, and  even  some  who  are  not  altogether  destitute  of  learn- 
ing, are  perplexed  by  such  forms  of  expression,  as  they  find 
attributed  to  Christ,  which  are  not  exactly  appropriate  either 
to  his  divinity  or  to  his  humanity.  This  is  for  want  of  con- 
sidering that  they  are  applicable  to  his  complex  person,  con- 
sisting of  God  and  man,  and  to  his  office  of  Mediator.  And 
indeed  we  may  see  the  most  beautiful  coherence  between  all 
these  things,  if  we  have  only  a  sober  expositor,  that  examines 
such  great  mysteries  with  becoming  reverence.  But  these 
furious  and  frantic  spirits  throw  every  thing  into  confusion. 
!  They  lay  hold  of  the  properties  of  his  humanity,  to  destroy  his 
divinity;  on  the  other  hand,  they  catch  at  the  attributes  of  his 
divinity,  to  destroy  his  humanity;  and  by  what  is  spoken  of 
both  natures  united,  but  is  applicable  separately  to  neither, 
they  attempt  to  destroy  both.|Now  what  is  this  but  to  contend 
that  Christ  is  not  man,  because  he  is  God;  that  he  is  not  God, 
because  he  is  man;  and  that  he  is  neither  man  nor  God  be- 
cause he  is  at  once  both  man  and  God?  We  conclude  there- 
fore, that  Christ,  as  he  is  God  and  man,  composed  of  these 
two  natures  united,  yet  not  confounded,  is  our  Lord  and  the 
true  Son  of  God,  even  in  his  humanity;  though  not  on  account 
of  his  humanity.  For  we  ought  carefully  to  avoid  the  error 
of  Nestorius,  who,  attempting  rather  to  divide  than  to  dis- 
tinguish the  two  natures,  thereby  imagined  a  double  Christ. 
This  we  find  clearly  contradicted  by  the  Scripture,  where  the 
appellation  of  "  the  Son  of  God"  is  given  to  him  who  was 
born  of  the  Virgin,  and  the  Virgin  herself  is  called  "  the 
mother  of  our  Lord."  (*•)  We  must  also  beware  of  the  error 
of  Eutyches,  lest,  while  we  aim  to  establish  {he  unity  of 
Christ's  person,  we  destroy  the  distinction  of  his  two  natures. 
For  we  have  already  cited  so  many  testimonies,  where  his 

(a-)  Luke  i.  35. 43. 

VOL.  I.  3  U 


522  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  IT. 

divinity  is  distinguished  from  his  humanity,  and  the  Scripture 
abounds  with  so  many  others,  that  they  may  silence  even  the 
most  contentious.  I  shall  shortly  subjoin  some,  in  order  to  a 
more  complete  refutation  of  that  notion.  At  present  one  passage 
shall  suffice  us:  for  Christ  would  not  have  styled  his  body 
"  a  temple,"  (z/)  if  it  had  not  been  the  residence  of  the  Divi- 
'nity,  and  at  the  same  time  distinct  from  it.  Wherefore  as  Nes- 
torius  was  justly  condemned  in  the  council  of  Ephesus,  so  also 
was  Eutyches  afterwards  in  the  councils  of  Constantinople  and 
Chalcedon;  for  to  confound  the  two  natures  in  Christ,  and  to 
separate  them,  are  equally  wrong. 

V.  But  in  our  time  also  there  has  arisen  a  heretic 
equally  pestilent,  Michael  Servetus,  who  in  the  place  of  the 
Son  of  God  has  substituted  an  imaginary  being,  composed  of 
the  essence  of  God,  spirit,  flesh,  and  three  uncreated  elements. 
In  the  first  place,  he  denies  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  in  any 
other  respect  than  as  he  was  begotten  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
the  womb  of  the  Virgin.  But  his  subtilty  tends  to  subvert  the 
distinction  of  the  two  natures,  and  thereby  to  represent  Christ 
as  something  composed  of  God  and  man,  and  yet  neither  God 
nor  man.  For  this  is  the  principal  point  which  he  constantly 
endeavours  to  establish,  that  before  Christ  was  manifested  in 
the  flesh,  there  were  in  God  only  some  shadowy  figures;  the 
truth  or  effect  of  which  had  no  real  existence  till  the  Word, 
who  had  been  destined  to  this  honour,  actually  began  to  be  the 
Son  of  God.  Now  we  confess  that  the  Mediator,  who  was 
born  of  the  Virgin,  is  properly  the  Son  of  God.  Nor  indeed 
could  the  man  Christ  be  a  mirror  of  the  inestimable  grace  of 
God,  if  this  dignity  had  not  been  conferred  on  him,  to  be, 
and  to  be  called,  "  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God."  The  doc- 
trine of  the  Church,  however,  remains  unshaken,  that  he  is 
accounted  the  Son  of  God,  because  being  the  Word  begotten 
by  the  Father  before  all  ages,  he  assumed  the  human  nature  in 
a  hypostatical  union.  By  the  "  hypostatical  union"  the  an- 
cients expressed  the  combination  of  two  natures  constituting 
one  person.  It  was  invented  to  refute  the  error  of  Nestorius, 
who  imagined  the  Son  of  God  to  have  dwelt  in  flesh  in  such  a 

(y)  John  ii.  19. 


CHAP,  xiv.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  523 

manner  as,  notwithstanding  that,  to  have  had  no  real  humanity. 
Servetus  falsely  accuses  us  of  making  two  Sons  of  God,  when 
we  say  that  the  eternal  Word  was  the  Son  of  God,  before  he 
was  clothed  with  flesh;  as  though  we  affirmed  any  other  than 
that  he  was  manifested  in  the  flesh.  For  if  he  was  God  before 
he  became  man,  it  is  not  to  be  inferred  that  he  began  to  be  a 
new  God.  There  is  no  more  absurdity  in  affirming  that  the 
Son  of  God  appeared  in  the  flesh,  who  nevertheless  was 
always  the  Son  of  God  by  eternal  generation.  This  is  implied 
in  the  words  of  the  angel  to  Mary:  "  That  holy  thing  which 
shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God:"  (z) 
as  though  he  had  said,  that  the  name  of  the  Son,  which  had 
been  in  obscurity  under  the  law,  was  about  to  be  celebrated 
and  universally  known.  Consistent  with  this  is  the  representa- 
tion of  Paul;  that  through  Christ  we  are  the  sons  of  God, 
and  may  freely  and  confidently  cry,  Abba,  Father,  (a)  But 
were  not  the  holy  patriarchs  in  ancient  times  numbered  among 
the  children  of  God?  Yes,  and  depending  on  this  claim,  they 
invoked  God  as  their  Father.  But  because,  since  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God  into  the  world,  the 
celestial  paternity  has  been  more  clearly  revealed,  Paul  men- 
tions this  as  the  privilege  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  It 
must,  however,  be  steadily  maintained,  that  God  never  was  a 
Father,  either  to  angels  or  to  men,  but  with  reference  to  his 
only-begotten  Son:  and  especially  that  men,  whom  their  own 
iniquity  renders  odious  to  God,  are  his  sons  by  gratuitous 
adoption,  because  Christ  is  his  Son  by  nature.  Nor  is  there 
any  force  in  the  cavil  of  Servetus,  that  this  depends  on  the 
filiation  which  God  had  decreed  in  himself;  because  we  are 
not  here  treating  of  figures,  as  expiation  was  represented  by  the 
blood  of  the  sacrifices:  but  as  they  could  not  be  the  sons  of  God 
in  reality,  unless  their  adoption  were  founded  on  this  head,  it 
is  unreasonable  to  detract  from  the  head,  that  which  is  common 
to  all  the  members.  I  go  farther:  since  the  Scripture  calls 
angels  "  the  children  of  God," (6)  whose  enjoyment  of  such  high 
dignity  depended  not  on  the  future  redemption;  yet  it  is  ne- 
cessary that  Christ  should  precede  them  in  order,  seeing  it  is 

(2)  Luke  i.  35.        (a)  Rom.  via.  15.    Gal.  iv.  5,  6.      (A)  Psalm  Ixxxii.  6. 


524  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

by  him  that  they  are  connected  with  the  Father.  I  will  briefly 
repeat  this  observation,  and  apply  the  same  to  the  human  race. 
Since  angels  and  men  were  originally  created  in  such  a  condi- 
tion, that  God  was  the  common  Father  of  both,  if  there  be  any 
truth  in  the  assertion  of  Paul,  "that  Christ  was  before  all 
things,  the  head  of  the  body,  and  the  first-born  of  every  crea- 
ture, that  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  pre-eminence,"  (c)  I 
conceive  I  am  right  in  concluding,  that  he  was  also  the  Son  of 
God  before  the  creation  of  the  world, 

^~~fl"  *  '""    ""'  '"—      "  '  '    

VI.  But  if  his  filiation  (so  to  speak)  commenced  at  the  time 
of  his  manifestation  in  the  flesh,  it  will  follow  that  he  was  the 
Son  also  in  respect  of  his  human  nature.  Servetus  and  other 
heretics  maintain  that  Christ,  who  appeared  in  the  flesh,  was 
the  Son  of  God;  because  out  of  the  flesh  he  could  not  be  en- 
titled to  this  appellation.  Now  let  them  answer  me,  whether 
he  be  the  Son  according  to  both  natures,  and  in  respect  of 
both.  So  indeed  they  idly  pretend;  but  Paul  teaches  us  very 
differently.  We  confess  that  Christ  is  called  "  the  Son"  in  his 
human  nature,  not  as  the  faithful  are,  merely  by  adoption  and 
grace,  but  the  true  and  natural,  and  therefore  the  only  Son; 
that  by  this  character  he  may  be  distinguished  from  all  others. 
For  we",  who  are  regenerated  to  a  new  life,  are  honoured  by 
God  with  the  title  of  sons,  but  the  appellation  of  "  his  true  and 
only-begotten  Son"  he  gives  to  Christ  alone.  But  among  such 
a  multitude  of  brethren,  how  can  he  be  the  only  Son,  unless 
he  possess  by  nature  what  we  have  received  as  a  gift?  And 
We  extend  this  honour  to  the  whole  person  of  the  Mediator, 
that  he  who  was  born  of  the  Virgin,  and  offered  himself  on 
the  cross  as  a  victim  to  the  Father,  is  truly  and  properly  the 
Son  of  God;  but  nevertheless  with  respect  to  his  Deity,  as 
Paul  suggests,  when  he  says  that  he  was  "  separated  unto  the 
gospel  of  God,  which  he  had  promised  afore,  concerning  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,  which  was  made  of  the  seed  of 
David  according  to  the  flesh,  and  declared  to  be  the  Son  of 
God  with  power."  (rf)  When  he  distinctly  denominates  him 
the  Son  of  David  according  to  the  flesh,  why  should  he  parti- 
cularly say  that  he  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with 

(c)  Col.  i.  15—18.  (d  )  Rom.  i.  1—4. 


CHAP,  xiv.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  525 

power,  unless  he  intended  to  suggest  that  this  dignity  depended 
not  on  that  flesh,  but  on  something  else?  For  in  the  same  sense 
in  which  he  says  in  another  place  that  "he  was  crucified 
through  weakness,  yet  that  he  liveth  by  the  power  of  God,"  so 
in  this  passage  he  introduces  the  difference  between  the  two 
natures.  They  certainly  must  be  constrained  to  admit,  that  as 
he  hath  received  of  his  mother  that  which  causes  him  to  be  called 
the  Son  of  David,  so  he  hath  from  his  Father  that  which  con- 
stitutes him  the  Son  of  God,  and  that  this  is  something  distinct 
and  different  from  his  humanity.  The  Scripture  distinguishes 
him  by  two  names,  calling  him,  sometimes  "  the  Son  of  God," 
sometimes  "  the  Son  of  man."  With  respect  to  the  latter,  it 
cannot  be  disputed  that  he  is  styled  the  "  Son  of  man,"  in  con- 
formity to  the  common  idiom  of  the  Hebrew  language,  because 
he  is  one  of  the  posterity  of  Adam.  I  contend  on  the  other 
hand,  that  he  is  denominated  "  the  Son  of  God"  on  account  of 
his  Deity  and  eternal  existence:  because  it  is  equally  reason- 
able that  the  appellation  of  u  Son  of  God"  should  be  referred 
to  the  divine  nature,  as  that  of  "  Son  of  man"  should  be 
referred  to  the  human  nature.  In  short,  in  the  passage  which 
I  have  cited,  "  that  he,  who  was  made  of  the  seed  of  David 
according  to  the  flesh,  was  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with 
power,"  Paul  intends  the  same  as  he  teaches  us  in  another  place, 
that  "  Christ,  who  as  concerning  the  flesh  came  of  the  Jews,  is 
God  blessed  for  ever."  But  if  the  distinction  of  the  two  natures 
be  expressed  in  both  these  passages,  by  what  authority  will 
they  deny  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God  in  respect  of  his  Divine 
nature,  who  according  to  the  flesh  is  likewise  the  Son  of  man? 
VII.  They  clamorously  urge  in  support  of  their  error,  that 
God  is  said  "  not  to  have  spared  his  own  Son,"  (e)  and  that  the 
angel  directed  that  the  very  same  who  was  to  be  born  of  the 
Virgin,  should  be  called  "  the  Son  of  the  Highest."  (/)  But  to 
prevent  their  glorying  in  so  futile  an  objection,  let  them  accom- 
pany us  in  a  brief  examination  of  the  validity  of  their  reason- 
ing. For  if  it  be  rightly  concluded,  that  he  began  to  be  the 
Son  of  God  at  his  conception,  because  he  that  is  conceived  is 
called  his  Son;  it  will  follow  that  he  began  to  be  the  Word  at 

(*)  Rom.  viii.  3?.  (/)  Luke  i.  32. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  u. 

his  manifestation  in  the  flesh,  because  John  tells  us  that  "  he 
declares  that,  which  his  hands  have  handled,  of  the  Word  of 
life."  (£•)  So  when  they  read  the  following  address  of  the 
prophet,  "Thou,  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though  thou  be  little 
among  the  thousands  of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee  shall  he  come 
forth  unto  me  that  is  to  be  Ruler  in  Israel:  whose  goings  forth 
have  been  from  of  old,  from  everlasting,  or  from  the  days  of  eter- 
nity:" (A)  what  interpretation  will  they  be  obliged  to  adopt,  if 
they  determine  to  pursue  such  a  mode  of  argumentation?  For 
I  have  declared  that  we  by  no  means  coincide  with  Nestorius, 
who  imagined  two  Christs.  According  to  our  doctrine,  Christ 
hath  made  us  the  sons  of  God,  together  with  himself,  by  the 
privilege  of  a  fraternal  union,  because  he  is,  in  our  nature 
which  he  assumed,  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God.  And 
Augustine  judiciously  apprises  us,  "that  it  is  an  illustrious 
mirror  of  the  wonderful  and  singular  grace  of  God,  that  Jesus 
Christ,  considered  as  man,  obtained  honour  which  he  could 
not  merit."  From  his  very  birth,  therefore,  was  Christ  adorned 
even  in  his  human  nature  with  the  dignity  of  being  the  Son  of 
God.  Yet  in  the  unity  of  person  we  must  not  imagine  such  a 
confusion,  as  to  destroy  that  which  is  peculiar  to  Deity.  For 
it  is  no  more  unreasonable,  that  the  eternal  Word  of  God  and 
the  man  Christ  Jesus,  the  two  natures  being  united  into  one 
person,  should  be  called  the  Son  of  God  in  different  senses, 
than  that  he  should  be  styled  in  various  respects  sometimes  the 
Son  of  God,  sometimes  the  Son  of  man.  Nor  are  we  any 
more  embarrassed  with  the  other  cavil  of  Servetus,  that  before 
Christ  appeared  in  the  flesh,  he  is  no  where  called  the  Son  of 
God,  but  in  a  figurative  sense.  For  though  the  description  of 
him  then  was  rather  obscure,  yet  since  it  has  now  been  clearly 
proved,  that  he  was  the  eternal  God  no  otherwise  than  as  he 
was  the  Word  eternally  begotten  of  the  Father,  and  that  this 
name  is  applicable  to  him  in  the  character  of  Mediator 
which  he  has  assumed,  only  because  he  is  God  manifested  in 
the  flesh:  and  that  God  the  Father  would  not  have  been  thus 
denominated  from  the  beginning,  unless  there  had  even  then 
been  a  mutual  relation  to  the  Son,  who  is  the  source  of  all 

(^)ljohni. !.  (A)Micahv.2. 


CHAP,  xiv.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  527 

kindred  or  paternity  in  heaven  and  in  earth:  (z)  the  inference 
is  clear,  that  even  under  the  law  and  the  prophets  he  was  the 
Son  of  God,  before  this  name  was  commonly  used  in  the 
Church.  If  the  contention  be  merely  about  the  word,  Solomon, 
in  speaking  of  the  infinite  sublimity  of  God,  affirms  his  Son  to 
be  incomprehensible  as  well  as  himself:  "  What  is  his  name,'* 
says  he,  "  and  what  is  his  Son's  name,  if  thou  canst  tell?"  (/£) 
I  am  aware  that  this  testimony  will  not  have  sufficient  weight 
with  contentious  persons,  nor  indeed  do  I  lay  much  stress  on 
it,  only  that  it  fixes  the  charge  of  a  malicious  cavil  on  those 
who  deny  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  any  otherwise  than 
because  he  has  become  man.  It  must  also  be  remarked  that 
all  the  most  ancient  writers  have  with  one  accord  so  un- 
equivocally asserted  the  same  doctrine,  that  it  argues  impudence 
equally  ridiculous  and  detestable  in  those  who  dare  to  represent 
us  as  opposing  Irenseus  and  Tertullian,  who  both  acknowledge 
that  Jesus  Christ,  who  at  length  made  a  visible  appearance,  was 
always  the  invisible  Son  of  God. 

VIII.  But  although  Servetus  has  accumulated  many  horrible 
and  monstrous  notions,  which  some  of  his  brethren  perhaps  would 
refuse  to  subscribe;  yet  whoever  they  are  that  acknowledge  not 
Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  except  in  the  human  nature, 
if  we  press  them  closely,  we  shall  find  that  this  title  is  ad- 
mitted by  them  on  no  other  ground  than  because  he  was  con- 
ceived by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  womb  of  the  Virgin:  as  tihe 
Manichaeans  formerly  pretended  that  man  received  his  soul  by 
emanation  from  God,  because  it  is  said  that  God  breathed 
into  Adam  the  breath  of  life.  (/)  For  they  lay  such  stress  on 
the  name  of  Son,  that  they  leave  no  difference  between  the 
two  natures,  but  tell  us,  in  a  confused  manner,  that  Christ 
is  the  Son  of  God,  considered  as  man,  because  his  human 
nature  was  begotten  by  God.  Thus  the  etenial  generation  oi 
Wisdom,  of  which  Solomon  speaks,  (w)  is  destroyed,  and  no 
notice  is  taken  of  the  Deity  in  the  Mediator,  or  a  phantom 
is  substituted  instead  of  his  humanity.  It  might  indeed  be 
useful  to  refute  the  grosser  fallacies  of  Servetus,  with  which 
he  has  fascinated  himself  and  others,  that  the  pious  reader, 

(/)  Eph.  iii.  15.  (fr)  Prov.  xxx.  4. 

(/)  Gen.  ii.  7.  (»»)  Prov.  viii.  22,  &c. 


526  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [ROOK  n. 

admonished  by  this  example,  may  preserve  himself  within  the 
bounds  of  sobriety  and  modesty:  yet  I  conceive  this  will  be 
unnecessary  here,  as  I  have  already  done  it  in  a  separate 
treatise.  The  substance  of  them  all  is,  that  the  Son  of  God 
was  from  the  beginning  an  ideal  existence,  and  that  even  then 
he  was  predestinated  to  be  a  man  who  was  to  be  the  essential 
image  of  God.  Nor  does  he  acknowledge  any  other  word 
of  God  than  what  consists  in  an  external  splendour.  His 
generation  he  explains  thus;  that  there  existed  in  God  from 
the  beginning  a  will  to  beget  a  Son,  which  was  carried  into 
effect  by  his  actual  formation.  He  likewise  confounds  the 
Spirit  with  the  Word,  by  asserting  that  God  distributed  the 
invisible  Word  and  Spirit  into  body  and  soul.  In  short, 
he  puts  the  prefiguration  of  Christ  in  the  place  of  his  genera- 
tion; and  affirms  that  he  who  was  then  in  external  appear- 
ance a  shadowy  Son,  was  at  length  begotten  by  the  Word,  to 
•which  he  attributes  the  properties  of  seed.  Whence  it  will 
follow,  that  the  meanest  animals  are  equally  the  children  of 
God,  because  they  were  created  of  the  original  seed  of  the 
Word  of  God.  For  though  he  compounds  Christ  of  three 
uncreated  elements,  to  countenance  the  assertion  that  he  is  be- 
gotten of  the  essence  of  God;  yet  he  pretends  him  to  have 
been  the  first-born  among  creatures  in  such  a  sense,  that  even 
inanimate  substances,  according  to  their  rank,  possess  the  same 
essential  divinity.  And  that  he  may  not  seem  to  despoil  Christ 
of  his  Deity,  he  asserts  that  his  flesh  is  co-essential  with  God, 
and  that  the  Word  was  made  flesh  by  a  conversion  of  the 
humanity  into  Deity.  Thus  while  he  cannot  conceive  Christ  to 
be  the  Son  of  God,  unless  his  flesh  proceeded  from  the  essence 
of  God,  and  were  reconverted  into  Deity,  he  annihilates  the 
eternal  hypostasis  of  the  Word,  and  deprives  us  of  the  Son  of 
David,  the  promised  Redeemer.  He  frequently  indeed  repeats 
this,  that  the  Son  was  begotten  of  God  by  knowledge  and  pre- 
destination, but  that  at  length  he  was  made  man  of  those  ma- 
terials, which  in  the  beginning  appeared  with  God  in  the  three 
elements,  and  which  afterwards  appeared  in  the  first  light  of 
the  world,  in  the  cloud,  and  in  the  pillar  of  fire.  Now  how 
shamefully  he  contradicts  himself,  it  would  be  too  tedious  to 
relate.  From  this  summary  the  judicious  reader  will  conclude, 


CHAP,  xv.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  529 

that  by  the  subtle  fallacies  of  this  heretic,  the  hope  of  salvation 
is  completely  extinguished.  For  if  the  body  were  the  Deity 
itself,  it  would  no  longer  be  the  temple  of  it.  Now  we  can 
have  no  Redeemer,  except  him,  who  became  man,  by  being 
really  begotten  of  the  seed  of  Abraham  and  David  according 
to  the  flesh.  Servetus  makes  a  very  improper  use  of  the  lan- 
guage of  John,  that  "the  word  was  made  flesh:"  for  while  it 
opposes  the  error  of  Nestorius,  it  is  as  far  from  affording  the 
least  countenance  to  this  impious  notion  which  originated  with 
Eutyches.  The  sole  design  of  the  evangelist  was,  to  assert  the 
union  of  the  two  natures  in  one  person. 


vwwwwvw 

I. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

The  Consideration  of  Christ* 's  three  Offices,  Prophetical,  Regal, 
and  Sacerdotal,  necessary  to  our  knorving  the  End  of  his 
Mission  from  the  Father,  and  the  Benejits  which  he  confers 
on  us. 

IT  is  a  just  observation  of  Augustine,  that  although  heretics 
profess  the  name  of  Christ,  yet  he  is  not  a  foundation  to  them, 
in  common  with  the  pious,  but  remains  exclusively  the  founda- 
tion of  the  Church:  because,  on  a  diligent  consideration  of 
what  belongs  to  Christ,  Christ  will  be  found  among  them 
only  in  aame,  not  in  reality.  Thus  the  Papists  in  the  pre- 
sent age,  although  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  Re- 
deemer of  the  world,  be  frequently  in  their  mouths,  yet  since 
they  are  contented  with  the  mere  name,  and  despoil  him  of 
his  power  and  dignity,  these  words  of  Paul,  "not  holding  the 
head,"  (n)  are  truly  applicable  them.  Therefore,  that  faith 
may  find  in  Christ  a  solid  ground  of  salvation,  and  so  may 
rely  on  him,  it  is  proper  for  us  to  establish  this  principle,  that 
the  office  which  was  assigned  to  him  by  the  Father  consists  of 
three  parts.  For  he  was  given  as  a  Prophet,  a  King,  and  a 
Priest;  though  we  should  derive  but  little  benefit  from  an 

(»)Col.  ii.I9- 
VOL.  I.  3  X 


539  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

acquaintance  with  these  names,  unaccompanied  with  a  know- 
ledge of  their  end  and  use.  For  they  are  likewise  pronounced 
among  the  Papists,  but  in  a  frigid  and  unprofitable  manner, 
while  they  are  ignorant  of  what  is  included  in  each  of  these 
titles.  We  have  before  observed,  that  although  God  sent 
prophets  one  after  another  in  a  continual  succession,  and  never 
left  his  people  destitute  of  useful  instruction,  such  as  was  suffi- 
cient for  salvation;  yet  the  minds  of  the  pious  were  always  per- 
suaded, that  the  full  light  of  understanding  was  not  to  be  ex- 
pected till  the  advent  of  the  Messiah.  And  that  this  opinion 
had  even  reached  the  Samaritans,  notwithstanding  they  had 
never  been  acquainted  with  the  true  religion,  appears  from  the 
speech  of  the  woman,  "  When  Messias  is  come,  he  will  tell 
us  all  things."  (o)  Nor  had  the  Jews  entertained  this  sentiment 
without  sufficient  ground,  but  believed  as  they  had  been  taught 
by  infallible  oracles.  One  of  the  most  remarkable  is  this  passage 
of  Isaiah:  "  Behold,  I  have  given  him  for  a  witness  to  the 
people,  a  leader  and  commander  to  the  people:"  (/»)  just  as 
he  had  before  styled  him  "  the  Wonderful  Counsellor."  (^) 
In  the  same  manner  the  apostle,  with  a  view  to  display  the  per- 
fection of  the  evangelical  doctrine,  after  having  said,  that 
"  God  at  sundry  times  and  in  divers  manners  spake  unto  the 
fathers  by  the  prophets,"  adds,  that  he  "  hath  in  these  last 
days  spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son."  (r)  But  because  it  was  the 
office  of  all  the  prophets  to  keep  the  Church  in  a  state  of 
suspense  and  expectation,  and  also  to  support  it  till  the  advent 
of  the  Mediator,  we  therefore  find  the  faithful  complaining,  in 
their  dispersion,  that  they  were  deprived  of  this  ordinary 
blessing:  "  We  see  not  our  signs:  there  is  no  more  any  pro- 
phet: neither  is  there  among  us  any  that  knoweth  how  long."  (*) 
At  length  when  Christ  was  at  no  great  distance,  a  time  was 
prefixed  for  Daniel  to  seal  up  the  vision  and  prophecy,  not 
only  to  authenticate  the  prediction  it  contained,  but  in  order 
that  the  faithful  might  patiently  bear  for  a  time  the  want  of 
prophets,  because  the  plenitude  and  conclusion  of  all  revela- 
tions was  near  at  hand,  (i) 

II.  Now  it  is  to  be  observed,  that  the  appellation  of"  Christ" 

Co)  John  iv.  25.  (/>)  Isaiah  Iv.  4.  (9)  Isaiah  ix.  6. 

(r}  Heb.  i.  1,  2.  (*•)  Psalm  Ixxiv.  9.  t  >an.  ix.  24- 


CHAP,  xv.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  531 

b^l^ngstothese  three  ^)ffices.  JFor  we_know  that  under  the 
law  not  only  priests  and  kings,  but  prophets  also,  were  ;mointed 
with  holy  oil.  Hence  the  celebrated  title  of  "  Messiah"  was 
given  to  the  promised  Mediator.  But  though  I  confess  that  he 
was  called  the  Messiah  with  particular  reference  to  his  kingdom, 
as  I  have  already  shewn,  yet  the  prophetical  and  sacerdotal 
unctions  have  their  respective  places,  and  must  not  be  neglected 
by  us.  The  former  is  expressly  mentioned  by  Isaiah  in  these 
words:  "The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me;  because 
the  Lord  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the 
meek;  he  hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  to  pro- 
claim liberty  to  the  captives,  to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year 
of  the  Lord."  (u)  We  see  that  he  was  anointed  by  the  Spirit, 
to  be  a  preacher  and  witness  of  the  grace  of  the  Father;  and 
that  not  in  a  common  manner;  for  he  is  distinguished  fi-onl 
other  teachers,  who  held  a  similar  office.  And  here  again  it 
must  be  remarked,  that  he  received  this  unction,  not  only  for 
himself  that  he  might  perform  the  office  of  a  teacher,  but  for 
his  whole  body,  that  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  might  conti- 
nually be  attended  with  the  power  of  the  Spirit.  But  it  remains 
beyond  all  doubt,  that  by  this  perfection  of  doctrine  which  he  \ 
has  introduced,  he  has  put  an  end  to  all  prophecies;  so  that  | 
they  who,  not  contented  with  the  gospel  make  any  extraneous  ' 
addition  to  it,  are  guilty  of  derogating  from  his  authority.  For  I 
that  voice,  which  thundered  from  heaven,  "This  is  my  beloved 
Son;  hear  ye  him,"  (u)  has  exalted  him  by  a  peculiar  privilege 
above  all  others.  From  the  head  this  unction  is  afterwards 
diffused  over  the  members,  according  to  the  prediction  of  Joel: 
<c  Your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy  and  see 
visions."  (w)  But  the  declarations  of  Paul,  that  "  he  is  made 
unto  us  wisdom,"  (*•)  and  that  "  in  him  are  hid  all  the  treasures 
of  wisdom  and  knowledge,"  (y)  have  rather  a  different  mean- 
ing; namely,  that  beside  him  there  is  nothing  useful  to  be 
known,  and  that  they  who  by  faith  apprehend  him  as  he  is, 
have  embraced  the  whole  infinitude  of  celestial  blessings.  For 
which  reason  he  writes  in  another  place;  "  I  determined  not 
fo  know  any  thing  among  you,  save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him 

• 

(«)  Isaiah  Ixi.  1,  2.  («)  Matt  xvii.  5.  (tu)  Joel  ii.  23. 

(or)  1  Cor.  i. 30.  (//)  Col.  ii.  3. 


532  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

crucified:"  (z)  which  is  perfectly  just,  because  it  is  unlawful  to 
go  beyond  the  simplicity  of  the  gospel.  And  the  tendency  of 
the  prophetic  dignity  in  Christ  is,  to  assure  us  that  all  the 
branches  of  perfect  wisdom  are  included  in  the  system  of  doc- 
trine which  he  has  given  us. 

III.  I  come  now  to  his  kingdom,  of  which  it  would  be  use- 
less to  speak,  without  first  apprizing  the  reader,  that  it  is  of  a. 
spiritual  nature:  because  thence  we  may  gather  what  is  its  use, 
and  what  advantage  it  confers  upon  us,  and  in  short  all  its 
power  and  eternity.  The  eternity,  which  the  angel  in  Daniel 
ascribes  to  the  person  of  Christ,  the  angel  in  Luke  justly  ap- 
plies to  the  salvation  of  the  people.  But  this  also  is  twofold, 
or  is  to  be  considered  in  two  points  of  view;  _pne  extending  to 
the  whole  body  of  the  Church,  the  other  belonging  to  rvcr\ 
individual  member.  To  the  former  must  be  referred  the  fol- 
lowing passage  in  the  Psalms:  "  Once  have  I  sworn  by  my 
holiness  that  I  will  not  lie  unto  David.  His  seed  shall  endure 
for  ever,  and  his  throne  as  the  sun  before  me.  It  shall  be 
established  for  ever  as  the  moon,  and  as  a  faithful  witness  in 
heaven."  (a)  There  is  no  doubt  that  God  here  promises  to  be 
the  everlasting  Governor  and  Defender  of  his  Church,  through 
the  medium  of  his  Son.  For  the  truth  of  this  prophecy  will 
only  be  found  in  Christ;  since  immediately  after  the  death  of 
Solomon,  the  dignity  of  the  kingdom  sustained  a  considerable 
degradation,  the  greater  part  of  it,  to  the  disgrace  of  the  family 
of  David,  being  transferred  to  a  private  man,  and  afterwards 
was  diminished  more  and  more,  till  at  length  it  fell  in  a  melan- 
choly and  total  ruin.  The  same  sentiment  is  conveyed  in  this 
exclamation  of  Isaiah:  u  Who  shall  declare  his  generation?"(£) 
For  when  he  pronounces  that  Christ  will  survive  after  his 
death,  he  connects  his  members  with  him.  Therefore,  when- 
ever we  hear  that  Christ  is  armed  with  eternal  power,  let  us 
remember,  that  this  is  the  bulwark  which  supports  the  perpe- 
tuity of  the  Church;  that  amidst  the  turbulent  agitations  with 
which  it  is  incessantly  harassed,  and  amidst  the  painful  and 
formidable  commotions  which  menace  it  with  innumerable 
calamities,  it  may  still  be  preserved  in  safety.  Thus  when 

(2)  1  Cor.ii.  2.  (a)  Psalm  Ixxaix.  35—37.          (6)  Isaiah  liii.  s 


CHAP,  xv.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  533 

David  derides  the  presumption  of  the  enemies  who  attempt  to 
break  the  yoke  of  God  and  of  his  Christ,  and  says,  that  the 
kings  and  the  people  rage  in  vain,  since  he  that  dwelleth  in  the 
heavens  is  sufficiently  powerful  to  repel  their  violence:  he 
assures  the  faithful  of  the  perpetual  preservation  of  the  Church, 
and  animates  them  to  entertain  a  cheerful  hope,  whenever  it 
happens  to  be  oppressed,  (c)  So  in  another  place,  when  speak- 
ing in  the  name  of  God,  he  says,  "Sit  thou  at  my  right  hand, 
vintil  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool:"  (d}  he  apprizes  us 
that  though  numerous  and  powerful  enemies  conspire  to  assault 
the  Church,  yet  they  are  not  strong  enough  to  prevail  against 
that  immutable  decree  of  God,  by  which  he  hath  constituted 
his  Son  an  eternal  King.  Whence  it  follows  that  it  is  impos- 
sible for  the  devil,  with  all  the  assistance  of  the  world,  ever 
to  destroy  the  Church,  which  is  founded  on  the  eternal 
throne  of  Christ.  Now  with  respect  to  its  particular  use  to 
each  individual,  this  same  eternity  ought  to  encourage  our  hope 
of  a  blessed  immortality:  for  we  see  that  whatever  is  terrestrial 
and  worldly  is  temporary  and  perishable.  Therefore  to  raise 
our  hope  towards  heaven,  Christ  declares  that  his  "  kingdom 
is  not  of  this  world."  (e)  In  a  word,  whenever  we  hear  that  the 
kingdom  of  Christ  is  spiritual,  excited  by  this  declaration,  we 
ought  to  penetrate  to  the  hope  of  a  better  life,  and  as  we  are 
now  protected  by  the  power  of  Christ,  let  us  expect  the  full 
benefit  of  this  grace  in  the  world  to  come. 

IV.  The  truth  of  our  observation,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
perceive  the  nature  and  advantages  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
unless  we  know  it  to  be  spiritual,  is  sufficiently  evident  from  a 
consideration  of  the  hardship  and  misery  of  our  condition  in 
the  state  of  warfare  under  the  cross,  in  which  we  have  to  con- 
tinue as  long  as  we  live.  What  advantage  then  could  accrue 
to  us  from  being  collected  under  the  government  of  the  hea- 
venly King,  if  the  benefit  of  it  were  not  to  extend  beyond  the 
present  state?  It  ought  therefore  to  be  known,  that  whatever 
felicity  is  promised  to  us  in  Christ,  consists  not  in  external 
accommodations,  such  as  a  life  of  joy  aod  tranquillity,  abundant 
wealth,  security  from  every  injury,  and  numerous  delight* 

(c)  Psalm  ii.  1,  &c.          (</)  Psalm  ex.  1.         (<?)  John  xviii.  S6. 


>J4  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

suited  to  our  carnal  desires,  but  that  it  is  peculiar  to  the  heav<  nl\ 
state.  As  in  the  world  the  prosperous  and  desirable  state  of  a 
nation  consists,  partly  in  domestic  peace,  and  an  abundance  of 
all  blessings,  and  every  good,  and  partly  in  strong  bulwarks  to 
secure  it  from  external  violence:  so  Christ  enriches  his  people 
with  every  thing  necessary  to  the  eternal  salvation  of  their 
souls,  and  arms  them  with  strength  to  enable  them  to  stand 
invincible  against  all  the  assaults  of  their  spiritual  foes. 
Whence  we  infer  that  he  i\  ;gns  rather  for  us  than  for  himself, 
and  that  both  internally  and  externally;  that  being  replenished, 
as  far  as  God  knows  to  be  necessary  for  us,  with  the  gifts  of 
the  Spirit,  of  which  we  are  naturally  destitute,  we  may  per- 
ceive from  these  first-fruits  that  we  are  truly  united  to  God, 
in  order  to  our  perfect  happiness;  and  in  the  next  place,  that 
depending  on  the  power  of  the  same  Spirit,  we  may  not  doubt 
of  being  always  victorious  over  the  devil,  the  world,  and  every 
kind  of  evil.  This  is  implied  in  the  answer  of  Christ  to  the 
Pharisees,  that  as  "  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within"  us,  it 
"cometh  not  with  observation."  (/)  For  it  is  probable,  that 
in  consequence  of  his  having  professed  himself  to  be  that  King, 
under  whom  the  highest  blessing  of  God  was  to  be  expected, 
they  ludicrously  desired  him  to  display  the  insignia  of  his 
dignity.  But  to  prevent  them,  who  had  otherwise  too  great  a 
propensity  to  the  world,  from  directing  all  their  attention  to 
external  pomp,  he  commands  them  to  enter  into  their  own 
consciences,  u  for  the  kingdom  of  God  is  righteousness,  peace, 
and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost."  (£•)  Here  we  are  briefly  taught 
what  advantage  results  to  us  from  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  For 
since  it  is  not  terrestrial  or  carnal,  so  as  to  be  liable  to  corrup- 
tion, but  spiritual,  it  elevates  us  even  to  eternal  life,  that  we 
may  patiently  pass  through  this  life  in  afflictions,  hunger,  cold, 
contempt,  reproaches,  and  other  disagreeable  circumstances; 
contented  with  this  single  assurance,  that  our  King  will  never 
desert  us,  but  will  assist  our  necessities,  till  haying,  completed  tin- 
term  of  our  warfare,  we  shall  be  called  to  the  triumph:  for  the 
rule  of  his  government  is  to  communicate  to  us  whatever  he 
has  received  of  the  Father.  Now  since  he  furnishes  and  arms 

(/)  Luke  xvii.  20,  21.  Or)  Rom.  xivt  17. 


CHAP,  xv.]         CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  535 

us  with  his  power,  adorns  us  with  his  beauty  and  magnificence, 
and  enriches  us  with  his  wealth:  hence  we  derive  most  abun- 
dant cause  for  glorying,  and  even  confidence,  to  enable  us  to 
contend  with  intrepidity  against  the  devil,  sin,  and  death.  In 
the  last  place,  since  we  are  clothed  with  his  righteousness,  we 
may  boldly  rise  superior  to  all  the  reproaches  of  the  world;  and 
as  he  liberally  replenishes  us  with  his  favours,  so  we  ought  on 
our  part  to  bring  forth  fruit  to  his  glory. 

V.  His  regal  unction,  therefore,    is  not  represented   to  us 

^MMPMUMMMMMMAMM**"*"***** 

as  composed  of  oil  and  aromatic  perfumes,  but  he  is  called 
"  the  Christ  of  God,"  (A)  because  u  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and 
understanding,  the  Spirit  of  counsel  and  might,  the  Spirit  of 
knowledge  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord,"  (z)  rested  upon  him. 
This  is  "the  oil  of  gladness,"  with  which  the  Psalmist  declares 
him  to  have  been  "  anointed  above"  his  "  fellows:"  (^)  be- 
cause, if  he  were  not  possessed  of  such  excellence,  we  should  be 
all  oppressed  with  poverty  and  famine.  And,  as  we  have  ob- 
served, he  was  not  enriched  on  his  own  private  account,  but 
that  he  might  communicate  his  abundance  to  them  who  are 
hungry  and  thirsty.  For  as  it  is  said  that  the  Father  "  giveth 
not  the  Spirit  by  measure  unto  him,"  (/)  so  another  passage 
expresses  the  reason:  "  that  of  his  fulness  we  might  all  receive, 
and  grace  for  grace."  (m)  From  this  source  proceeds  the  mu- 
nificence mentioned  by  Paul,  by  which  grace  is  variously  dis- 
tributed to  the  faithful,  "  according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift 
of  Christ."  («)  These  passages  abundantly  confirm  what  I 
have  said,  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  consists  in  the  Spirit, 
not  in  terrestrial  pleasures  or  pomps;  and  that  therefore,  in 
order  to  be  partakers  of  it,  we  must  renounce  the  world.  A 
visible  emblem  of  this  unction  was  displayed  at  the  baptism  of 
Christ,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  rested  on  him  in  the  form  of  a 
dove.  That  the  Holy  Spirit  and  his  gifts  are  designated  by 
the  word  unction^  ought  not  to  be  esteemed  either  novel  or 
absurd,  because  we  have  no  other  support  even  for  our  animal 
life;  but  especially,  as  it  respects  the  heavenly  life,  we  have  not 
a  particle  of  vigour  in  us,  but  what  we  have  received  from  the 
Holy  Spirit,  who  hath  chosen  his  residence  in  Christ,  that  those 

(h)  Luke  ix.  20.  (/)  Isaiah  si.  2.  (fc)  Psalm  xlv.  7. 

(0  Jolin  iii.  34.  (m)  John  i.  16.  («)  Eph.  iv.  7. 


536  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

heavenly  riches,  which  we  so  greatly  need,  may  from  him  be 
copiously  distributed  to  us.  Now  as  the  faithful  stand  invin- 
cible in  the  strength  of  their  King,  and  are  enriched  with  his 
spiritual  blessings,  they  are  justly  denominated  Christians.  But 
to  this  eternity,  of  which  we  have  spoken,  there  is  nothing  re- 
pugnant in  these  expressions  of  Paul:  "  Then  he  shall  deliver 
up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father:"  and  "  Then  shall 
the  Son  himself  be  subject,  that  God  maybe  all  in  all."  (0)  He 
only  intends,  that  in  that  perfect  glory  the  administration  of  the 
kingdom  will  not  be  the  same  as  it  is  at  present.  For  the 
Father  hath  given  all  power  to  the  Son,  that  he  may  guide, 
nourish,  and  sustain  us  by  his  hand,  may  guard  us  by  his  pro- 
tection, and  aid  us  in  all  our  necessities.  Thus  during  the 
period  of  our  pilgrimage,  while  we  are  absent  from  God,  Christ 
interposes  between  us,  to  bring  us  by  degrees  to  a  perfect  union 
with  him.  His  being  said  to  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father, 
is  equivalent  to  his  being  called  the  Father's  vicegerent,  en- 
trusted with  all  the  power  of  the  government:  because  it  is  the 
will  of  God,  to  govern  and  defend  his  Church  through  the 
mediation  of  his  Son.  This  is  the  explanation  given  by  Paul 
to  the  Ephesians,  that  he  was  "  set  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  to  be  the  head  over  all  things  to  the  Church,  which  is 
his  body."  (/>)  To  the  same  purpose  is  what  he  states  in 
another  place,  that  there  has  been  "  given  him  a  name  which 
is  above  every  name:  that  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee 
should  bow:  and  that  every  tongue  should  confess  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  Lord,  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father."  (7)  For  even  in 
these  words  he  displays  the  order  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
necessary  for  our  present  infirmity.  Thus  Paul  rightly  con- 
cludes, that  God  alone  will  then  be  the  only  head  of  the 
Church,  because  the  functions  of  Christ  in  the  preservation 
and  salvation  of  the  Church  will  be  fully  discharged.  For  the 
same  reason  the  Scripture  often  styles  him  Lord,  because  the 
Father  hath  given  him  authority  over  us,  that  he  may  exercise 
his  own  dominion  by  the  agency  of  his  Son.  u  For  though 
there  be"  many  authorities  celebrated  in  the  world,  "to  us 
there  is  but  one  God,  the  Father,  of  whom  are  all  things,  and 

(o)  1  Cor.  xv.  24,  2&        (/>)  Eph.  i.  20,  22,  23.        (y)  Phil.  ii.  9—11. 


CHAP,  xv.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  537 

we  in  him;  and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  are  all  things, 
and  we  by  him,"  (r)  says  Paul.  Whence  it  may  justly  be 
concluded,  that  he  is  the  same  God,  who  by  the  mouth  of 
Jsaiah  hath  asserted  himself  to  be  the  King  and  Lawgiver  of 
his  Church,  (s)  For  though  he  every  where  ascribes  all  the 
authority  he  possesses  to  the  free  gift  of  the  Father,  yet  he 
only  signifies  that  he  reigns  in  the  majesty  and  power  of 
God:  because  he  assumed  the  character  of  Mediator,  in  order 
to  approach  to  us  by  descending  from  the  bosom  and  incom- 
prehensible glory  of  his  Father.  Wherefore  it  is  the  more 
reasonable  that  we  should  all  with  one  consent  be  ready  to 
obey  him,  and  with  the  greatest  alacrity  conform  all  our  ser- 
vices to  his  will.  For  as  he  combines  the  offices  of  a  King  and  a 
Shepherd  towards  the  faithful  who  yield  a  voluntary  obedience; 
so  on  the  contrary  we  are  informed,  that  he  bears  "  a  rod  of 
iron"  to  "break"  all^the  stubborn  and  rebellious,  and  to 
"  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel."  (f)  It  is  like- 
wise predicted  that  "he  shall  judge  among  the  heathen,  he 
shall  fill  the  places  with  the  dead  bodies:  he  shall  wound 
the  heads  over  many  countries."  (u)  Of  this  there  are  some 
instances  to  be  seen  in  the  present  state,  but  the  complete 
accomplishment  of  it  will  be  at  the  last  judgment,  which 
may  also  with  propriety  be  considered  as  the  last  act  of  his 
reign. 

VI.  Concerning  his  priesthood,  we  have  briefly  to  remark, 
that  the  end  and  use  of  it  is,  that  he  may  be  a  Mediator  pure 
from  every  stain,  and  by  his  holiness  may  render  us  acceptable 
to  God.  But  because  the  righteous  curse  prevents  our  access 
to  him,  and  God  in  his  character  of  Judge  is  offended  with 
us;  in  order  that  our  Priest  may  appease  the  wrath  of  God, 
and  procure  his  favour  for  us,  there  is  a  necessity  for  the  inter- 
vention of  an  atonement.  Wherefore,  that  Christ  might  per- 
form this  office,  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  appear  with  a 
sacrifice.  For  even  under  the  law  the  priest  was  not  permitted 
to  enter  the  sanctuary  without  blood;  that  the  faithful  might 
know,  that  notwithstanding  the  interposition  of  the  Priest  as 
an  intercessor,  yet  it  was  impossible  for  God  to  be  propitiated 

(r)  1  Cor.  viii.  5,  6.  (s)  Isaiah  xxxiii.  22. 

(r)  Psalm  ii.  9  (r)  Pssrfra  ex.  6. 

VOL.  I.  3  Y 


338  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  ir. 

without  the  expiation  of  sins.  This  subject  the  apostle  dis- 
cusses at  large  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  from  the  seventh 
chapter  almost  to  the  end  of  the  tenth.  But  the  sum  of  the 
whole  is  this;  that  the  sacerdotal  dignity  belongs  exclusively 
to  Christ,  because  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  death  he  has  abolished 
our  guilt,  and  made  satisfaction  for  our  sins.  The  vast  im- 
portance of  this  we  are  taught  by  that  solemn  oath  which  "the 
Lord  hath  sworn,  and  will  not  repent;  Thou  art  a  priest  for 
ever,  after  the  order  of  Melchisedec."  («)  For  there  is  no 
doubt  that  God  intended  to  establish  that  capital  point;  which 
he  knew  to  be  the  principal  hinge  on  which  our  salvation  turns. 
And  as  we  have  observed,  there  is  no  access  to  God,  either 
for  ourselves  or  our  prayers,  unless  our  priest  sanctify  us  by- 
taking  away  our  sins,  and  obtain  for  us  that  grace  from  which 
we  are  excluded  by  the  pollution  of  our  vices  and  crimes. 
Thus  we  see,  it  is  necessary  to  begin  with  the  death  of  Christ, 
in  order  to  experience  the  efficacy  and  utility  of  his  priest- 
hood. Hence  it  follows,  that  he  is  an  eternal  intercessor,  and 
that  it  is  by  his  intervention  we  obtain  favour  with  God. 
Hence  proceeds  not  only  confidence  in  prayer,  but  also  tran- 
quillity to  the  consciences  of  the  faithful;  while  they  recline  in 
safety  on  the  paternal  indulgence  of  God,  and  are  certainly 
persuaded,  that  he  is  pleased  with  whatever  is  consecrated  to 
him  through  the  Mediator.  Now,  as  under  the  law  God 
commanded  victims  to  be  offered  to  him  from  the  flock  and 
the  herd,  a  new  and  different  method  has  been  adopted  in 
the  case  of  Christ,  that  the  sacrifice  should  be  the  same  with 
the  priest:  because  it  was  impossible  to  find  any  other  adequate 
satisfaction  for  sins,  or  any  one  worthy  of  so  great  an  honour 
as  to  offer  to  God  his  only-begotten  Son.  Besides,  Christ 
sustains  the  character  of  a  Priest,  not  only  to  render  the  Father 
favourable  and  propitious  to  us  by  an  eternal  law  of  reconci- 
liation, but  also  to  associate  us  with  himself  in  so  great  an 
honour.  For  we,  who  are  polluted  in  ourselves,  being  "  made 
priests"  (if)  in  him,  offer  ourselves  and  all  our  services  to  God, 
and  enter  boldly  into  the  heavenly  sanctuary,  so  that  the  sacrifices 
of  prayers  and  praise,  which  proceed  from  us,  are  "acceptable," 

Psalm  ex,  4.  Rev.  i.  6. 


CHAP.  xvi.J       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  539 

and  "  a  sweet-smelling  savour"  (#)  in  the  Divine  presence. 
This  is  included  in  the  declaration  of  Christ:  "  For  their 
sakes  I  sanctify  myself:"  (j/)  for  being  arrayed  in  his  holiness, 
he  having  dedicated  us,  together  with  himself,  to  the  Father, 
we,  who  are  otherwise  offensive  in  his  sight,  become  accept- 
able to  him,  as  pure,  unpolluted,  and  holy.  This  is  the 
meaning  of  the  "  anointing  of  the  Most  Holy,"  (2)  which  is 
mentioned  in  Daniel.  For  we  must  observe  the  contrast  between 
this  unction  and  that  shadowy  unction  which  was  then  in  use; 
as  though  the  angel  had  said,  that  the  shadows  would  be  dissi- 
pated, and  that  there  would  be  a  real  priesthood  in  the  person 
of  Christ.  So  much  the  more  detestable  is  the  invention  of 
those,  who,  not  content  with  the  priesthood  of  Christ,  have 
presumed  to  take  upon  themselves  the  office  of  sacrificing  him; 
which  is  daily  attempted  among  the  Papists,  where  the  mass  is 
considered  as  an  immolation  of  Christ. 


VWVWVWWVVW 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Christ' 's  Execution  of  the  Office  of  a  Redeemer  to  procure  our 
Salvation;  his  Death,  Resurrection^  and  Ascension  to  Heaven. 

ALL  that  we  have  hitherto  advanced  concern'1  r.g  Christ  is 
to  be  referred  to  this  point,  that  being  condemned,  dead,  and 
ruined  in  ourselves,  we  should  seek  righteousness,  deliverance, 
life,  and  salvation  in  him:  as  we  are  taught  by  this  remarkable 
declaration  of  Peter,  that  "  there  is  none  other  name  under 
heaven  given  among  men,  whereby  we  must  be  saved."  (a) 
The  name  of  JESUS  was  given  him,  not  rashly  or  by  a  for- 
tuitous accident,  or  by  the  will  of  men,  but  was  brought  from 
heaven  by  the  angel,  the  herald  of  the  supreme  decree,  and 
also  with  this  reason  annexed  to  it;  "  for  he  shall  save  his 
people  from  their  sins:"  (£)  in  which  words  may  be  remarked, 
what  we  have  before  hinted,  that  the  office  of  a  Releemer  \vas 
assigned  to  him  in  order  that  he  might  be  our  Saviour.  Never- 

(x)Eph.  v.  2.  («/)  John  xvii.  19.  (vr)  Dan.  ix.  24. 

(a)  Acts  iv.  12.       (6)  Matt.  i.  21. 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [HOOK  n< 

theless,  the  redemption  would  be  incomplete,  if  he  did  not  by 
continual  advances  carry  us  forward  to  the  ultimate  end  of 
salvation.  Therefore,  as  soon  as  we  dcs  hite  from  him,  though 
but  in  the  smallest  degree,  we  gradually  lose  sight  of  salvation, 
•which  resides  entirely  in  him;  so  that  those  who  are  not  satis- 
fied with  him,  voluntarily  deprive  themselves  of  all  grace.  And 
the  following  observation  of  Bernard  is  worthy  of  recital: 
"  that  the  name  of  Jesus  is  not  only  light,  but  also  food:  that 
it  is  likewise  oil,  without  which  all  the  food  of  the  soul  is  dry: 
that  it  is  salt,  unseasoned  by  which,  whatever  is  presented  to 
us  is  insipid;  finally,  that  it  is  honey  in  the  mouth,  melody  in 
the  ear,  joy  in  the  heart,  and  medicine  to  the  soul;  and  that 
there  are  no  charms  in  any  discourse  where  this  name  is  not 
heard."  But  here  we  ought  diligently  to  examine  how  he  has 
procured  salvation  for  us;  that  we  may  not  only  know  him  to 
be  the  author  of  it,  but,  embracing  those  things  which  are 
sufficient  for  the  establishment  of  our  faith,  may  reject  every 
thing  capable  of  drawing  us  aside  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the 
left.  For  since  no  man  can  descend  into  himself  and  seriously 
consider  his  own  character,  without  perceiving  that  God  is 
angry  with  him  and  hostile  to  him,  and  consequently  he  must 
fmd  himself  under  a  necessity  of  anxiously  seeking  some  way 
to  appease  him,  which  can  never  be  done  without  a  satisfac- 
tion; this  is  a  case  in  which  the  strongest  assurance  is  required. 
For  sinners,  till  they  be  delivered  from  guilt,  are  always  sub- 
ject to  the  wrath  and  malediction  of  God,  who,  being  a  righteous 
Judge,  never  suffers  his  law  to  be  violated  with  impunity,  but 
stands  prepared  to  avenge  it. 

II.  Before  we  proceed  any  further,  let  us  examine  by  the 
way  how  it  could  be  consistent,  that  God,  who  prevents  us  with 
his  mercy,  should  be  pur  enemy,  till  he  was  reconciled  to  us 
by  Christ.  For  how  could  he  have  given  us  a  special  pledge 
of  his  love  in  his  only-begotten  Son,  if  he  had  not  previously 
embraced  us  in  his  gratuitous  favour?  As  there  is  some  appear- 
ance of  contradiction,  therefore,  in  this  representation,  I  shall 
solve  the  difficulty.  The  Spirit  speaks  in  the  Scriptures  nearly  in 
this  manner,  That  God  was  an  enemy  to  men,  till  by  the  death 
of  Christ  they  were  restored  to  his  favour;  (£)  that  they  were 

^A)  Rom.  v,  10 


CHAP,  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  341 

under  the  curse  till  their  iniquity  was  expiated  by  his  sacrifice;(c) 
that  they  \vere  separated  from  God,  till  they  were  restored  to 
union  with  him  by  the  body  of  Christ.  (</)  Such  modes  of  ex- 
pression are  accommodated  to  our  capacity,  that  we  may  better 
understand,  how  miserable  and  calamitous  our  condition  is, 
out  of  Christ.  For  if  it  were  not  clearly  expressed,  that  we 
are  obnoxious  to  the  wrath  and  vengeance  of  God  and  to  eter- 
nal death,  we  should  not  so  fully  discover  how  miserable  we 
must  be  without  the  Divine  mercy,  nor  should  we  so  highly 
estimate  the  blessing  of  deliverance.  For  example:  let  any 
man  be  addressed  in  the  following  manner:  "  If  while  you 
remained  a  sinner,  God  had  hated  you  and  rejected  you 
according  to  your  demerits,  horrible  destruction  would  have 
befallen  you;  but  because  he  hath  voluntarily,  and  of  his  own 
gratuitous  kindness,  retained  you  in  his  favour,  and  not  per- 
mitted you  to  be  alienated  from  him,  he  has  thus  delivered 
you  from  that  danger:"  he  will  be  afflicted,  and  will  in  some 
measure  perceive  how  much  he  is  indebted  to  the  Divine 
mercy.  But  if  on  the  contrary  he  be  told,  what  the  Scripture 
teaches,  "  that  he  was  alienated  from  God  by  sin,  an  heir  ot 
wrath,  obnoxious  to  the  punishment  of  eternal  death,  excluded 
from  all  hope  of  salvation,  a  total  stranger  to  the  Divine  bles- 
sing, a  slave  to  Satan,  a  captive  under  the  yoke  of  sin,  and,  in 
a  word,  condemned  to,  and  already  involved  in,  a  horrible- 
destruction:  that  in  this  situation,  Christ  interposed  as  an  in- 
tercessor; that  he  has  received  and  suffered  in  his  own  person 
the  punishment,  which  by  the  righteous  judgment  of  God  im- 
pended over  all  sinners;  that  by  his  blood  he  has  expiated  those 
crimes  which  rendered  them  odious  to  God;  that  by  this  ex- 
piation God  the  Father  has  been  satisfied  and  duly  atoned; 
that  by  this  intercessor  his  wrath  has  been  appeased;  that  this 
is  the  foundation  of  peace  between  God  and  men;  that  this  is 
the  bond  of  his  benevolence  towards  them:"  will  he  not  be 
the  more  affected  by  these  things  in  proportion  to  the  more 
correct  and  lively  representation  of  the  depth  of  calamity  from 
which  he  has  been  delivered?  In  short,  since  it  is  impossible 
for  the  life  which  is  presented  by  the  mercy  of  God,  to  be 

<>)  Gal.  iii.  10—13.  (rf)  Col.  i.  21,  22. 


542  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11- 

embraced  by  our  hearts  with  sufficient  ardour,  or  received  with 
becoming  gratitude,  unless  we  have  been  previously  terrified 
and  distressed  with  the  fear  of  the  Divine  wrath,  and  the  horror 
of  eternal  death;  we  are  instructed  by  the  sacred  doctrine, 
that  irrespective  of  Christ  we  may  contemplate  God  as  in- 
censed against  us,  and  his  hand  armed  for  our  destruction,  and 
that  we  may  embrace  his  benevolence  and  paternal  love  only 
in  Christ. 

III.  Now  though  this  is  expressed  according  to  the  weak- 
ness of  our  capacity,  yet  it  is  strictly  true.  For  God,  who  is 
the  perfection  of  righteousness,  cannot  love  iniquity,  which  he 
beholds  in  us  all.  We  all  therefore  have  in  us  that  which  de- 
serves God's  hatred.  Wherefore  in  respect  of  our  corrupt 
nature  and  the  succeeding  depravity  of  our  lives,  we  are  all 
really  offensive  to  God,  guilty  in  his  sight,  and  bj>m__to__the 
damnation  of  hell.  But  because  the  Lord  will  not  lose  in  us 
that  which  is  his  own,  he  yet  discovers  something  that  his 
goodness,  .may  love.  For  notwithstanding  we  are  sinners 
through  our  own  fault,  yet  we  are  still  his  creatures;  not- 
withstanding we  have  brought  death  upon  ourselves,  yet  he 
had  created  us  for  life.  Thus  by  a  pure  and  gratuitous  love 
towards  us,  he  is  excited  to  receive  us  into  favour.  But  if 
there  is  a  perpetual  and  irreconcileable  opposition  between 
righteousness  and  iniquity,  he  cannot  receive  us  entirely,  as 
long  as  we  remain  sinners.  Therefore,  to  remove  all  occasion 
of  enmity,  and  to  reconcile  us  completely  to  himself,  he  abo- 
lishes all  our  guilt,  by  the  expiation  exhibited  in  the  death  of 
Christ,  that  we,  who  before  were  polluted  and  impure,  may  ap- 
pear righteous  and  holy  in  his  sight.  The  love  of  God  the 
Father  therefore  precedes  our  reconciliation  in  Christ;  or 
rather  it  is  because  he  first  loves,  that  he  afterwards  recon- 
ciles us  to  himself.  (<?)  But  because,  till  Christ  relieves  us 
by  his  death,  we  are  not  freed  from  that  iniquity  which  de- 
serves the  indignation  of  God,  and  is  accursed  and  condemned 
in  his  sight;  we  have  not  a  complete  and  solid  union  with 
God,  before  we  are  united  to  him  by  Christ.  And  therefore,  if 
*<ve  would  assure  ourselves  that  God  is  pacified  and  propitious 

(e)  1  John  iv.  19. 


CHAP,  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  543 

to  us,  we  must  fix  our  eyes  and  hearts  on  Christ  alone,  since 
it  is  by  him  only  that  we  really  obtain  the  non-imputation  of 
sins,  the  imputation  of  which  is  connected  with  the  Divine 
wrath. 

IV.  For  this  reason  Paul  says,  that  the  love  which  God  had 
for  us  before    the    creation   of  the    world,  was    founded   on 
Christ.  (/)  This  doctrine,  is    clear  and    consistent  with    the 
Scripture,    and    admirably  reconciles    the   different   passages, 
where  it  is  said,  that  God  manifested  his  love  to  us  by  the  gift 
of  his  only -begotten  Son,  (£•)  and  yet  that  he  was  our  enemy 
till  he  was  reconciled  by  the  death  of  Christ.  (A)  But  for  a 
further  confirmation  of  it,  to  such  as  require  the  testimony  of 
the  ancient  Church,  I  will  cite  a  passage  from  Augustine,  which 
expressly  maintains  the  same:  "  The  love  of  God,"  says  he, 
"is  incomprehensible  and  immutable.    For  he  did  not  begin 
to  love  us  when  we  were  reconciled  to  him  by  the  blood  of  his 
Son,  but  he  loved  us  before  the  creation  of  the  world,  that  we 
might  be  his  children,  together  with  his   only-begotten  Son, 
even  before  we  had  any  existence.  Therefo;e  our  reconcilia- 
tion by  the  death  of  Christ  must  not  be  understood  as  if  he  re- 
conciled us  to  God,  that  God  might  begin  to  love  those  whom 
he  had  before  hated:  but  we  are  reconciled  to  him  who  already 
loved  us,  but  with  whom  \fe  were  at  enmity  on  account  of  sins. 
And  whether   my  assertion   be   true,   let  the  apostle   attest. 
4  God,'  says  he,  4  cpmmendeth    his   love   toward   us,   in  that, 
while  we  were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us.'  (z)  He  loved 
us  therefore,  even   when  we  were  in  the  exercise  of  enmity 
against  him,  and  engaged  in  the  practice  of  iniquity.  Where- 
fore, in  a  wonderful  and  divine  manner,  he  both  hated  and  loved 
us  at   the  same  time.   He  hated  us,   as  being  different  from 
what  he  had  made  us;  but  as  our  iniquity  had  not  entirely 
destroyed  his  work  in  us,  he  could  at  the  same  time  in  every 
one  of  us  hate  what  we  had  done,  and  love  what  proceeded 
from  himself."  This  is  the  language  of  Augustine. 

V.  Now  in  answer  to  the  inquirv,  how  Christ  by  the  abo- 

A  J     '     •   •  -        - rjim  LJ     -  » 

lition  of  our  sins  has  destroyed  the  enmity  between  God  and 

us,   and   procured  a  righteousness  to  render  him 

• 

(/)  Eph.  i.  4,  5.  (y)  John  iil  16. 

(/O  Rom.  v.  10.  fz)  Rom.  v.  8. 


544  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  u. 

and  propitious  to  us,  it  may  be  replied  in  general,  that  he 
accomplished  it  by  the  whole  course  of  his  obedience.  This  is 
proved  by  the  testimony  of  Paul.  u  As  by  one  man's  dis- 
obedience many  were  made  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one 
shall  many  be  made  righteous."  (£)  And  indeed  in  another 
place  he  extends  the  cause  of  the  pardon,  which  exempts  us 
from  the  malediction  of  the  law,  to  the  whole  life  of  Christ. 
u  When  the  fulness  of  the  time  was  come,  God  sent  forth  his 
Son,  made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them 
that  were  under  the  law."  (/)  Thus  he  himself  affirmed  even 
his  baptism  to  be  a  branch  of  his  righteousness,  because  he 
acted  in  obedience  to  the  command  of  the  Father,  (m)  In  short, 
from  the  time  of  his  assuming  the  character  of  a  servant,  he 
began  to  pay  the  price  of  our  deliverance  in  order  to  redeem 
us.  Yet  more  precisely  to  define  the  means  of  our  salvation, 
the  Scripture  ascribes  this  in  a  peculiar  manner  to  the  death  of 
Christ.  He  himself  announces,  that  he  "  gives  his  life  a  ran- 
som for  many."  (n)  Paul  teaches  that  "he  died  for  our  sins."  (o) 
John  the  Baptist  exclaims,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  (/>)  Paul  in  another  place 
declares,  that  we  are  "justified  freely  by  his  grace,  through  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus:  whom  God  hath  set  forth 
to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood."  (y)  Also, 
that  we  are  "justified  by  his  blood,"  and  "  reconciled  by  his 
death."  (r)  Again:  "  He  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who 
knew  no  sin;  that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God 
in  him."  (s*)  I  shall  not  proceed  with  all  the  proofs,  because 
the  catalogue  would  be  immense,  and  many  of  them  must  here- 
after be  cited  in  their  proper  order.  Wherefore,  in  what  is 
called  the  Apostles'  Creed,  there  is  very  properly  an  immediate 
transition  from  the  birth  of  Christ  to  his  death  and  resurrec- 
tion, in  which  the  sum  of  perfect  salvation  consists.  Yet  there 
is  no  exclusion  of  the  rest  of  the  obedience  which  he  performed 
in  his  life:  as  Paul  comprehends  the  whole  of  it,  from  the  be- 
ginning to  the  end,  when  he  says,  that  "  he  made  himself  of 
no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and 


(fc)  Rom.  v.  19. 
(n)  Matt.  xx.  28. 
(<•;)  Rom.  iii.  24,  25. 

(/)  Gal.  iv.  4,  5. 
(o)  1  Cor.  xv.  3. 
(r)  Rom.  v.  9,  10. 

(m)  Matt.  iii.  15. 
(/>)  John  i.  29. 
0)2  Cor.  v.  21- 

)  »/ 

CHAP,  xvi.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION,  54,5 

became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross."  (?) 
And  indeed  his  voluntary  submission  is  the  principal  circum- 
stance even  in  his  death;  because  the  sacrifice,  unless  freely 
offered,  would  have  been  unavailable  to  the  acquisition  of 
righteousness.  Therefore  our  Lord,  after  having  declared,  "  I 
lay  down  my  life  for  the  sheep,"  expressly  adds,  "  No  man 
taketh  it  from  me."  (t?)  In  which  sense  Isaiah  says,  "  As  a 
sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  openeth  not  his 
mouth."  (w)  And  the  evangelical  history  relates,  that  he  went 
forth  to  meet  the  soldiers,^)  and  that  before  Pilate  he  neglected 
making  any  defence,  and  waited  to  submit  to  the  sentence,  (y) 
Nor  was  this  without  inward  conflict;  but  because  he  had 
taken  our  infirmities,  and  it  was  necessary  to  give  this  proof 
of  his  obedience  to  his  Father.  And  it  was  no  mean  specimen 
of  his  incomparable  love  to  us,  to  contend  with  horrible  fear, 
and  amid  those  dreadful  torments  to  neglect  all  care  of  him- 
self, that  he  might  promote  our  benefit.  Indeed  we  must  admit, 
that  it  was  impossible  for  God  to  be  truly  appeased  in  any 
other  way,  than  by  Christ  renouncing  all  concern  for  himself, 
and  submitting  and  devoting  himself  entirely  to  his  will.  On 
this  subject  the  apostle  appositely  cites  the  testimony  of  the 
Psalmist:  "  Then  said  I,  Lo,  I  come:  in  the  volume  of  the 
book  it  is  written  of  me,  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God: 
yea,  thy  law  is  within  my  heart."  (2)  But  since  terrified  con- 
sciences find  no  rest  but  in  a  sacrifice  and  ablution  to  expiate 
their  sins;  we  are  properly  directed  thither,  and  the  death  of 
Christ  is  exhibited  to  us  as  the  source  of  life.  Now  because 
our  guilt  rendered  us  liable  to  a  curse  at  the  heavenly  tribunal 
of  God,  the  condemnation  of  Christ  before  Pontius  Pilate  the 
governor  of  Judea  is  stated  in  the  first  place,  that  we  may  know 
that  on__this  righteous  person  was  inflicted  the  punishment 
which  belonged  to  us.  We  could  not  escape  the  terrible 
judgment  of  God;  to  deliver  us  from  it,  Christ  submitted  to 
be  condemned  even  before  a  wicked  and  profane  mortal.  For 
the  name  of  the  governor  is  mentioned,  not  only  to  establish 
the  credit  of  the  history,  but  that  we  may  learn,  what  is  taught 
by  Isaiah,  that  "  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him; 

(0  Phil.  u.  7,  8.        (T/)  John  x.  15,  18.  (w)  Isaiah  liii.  7. 

(or)  John  -xviii.  4.      ( y)  Matt,  xxvii.  12, 14.   (z)  Psalm  xl.  7,  8. 
VOL.  I.  3  Z 


INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed."  (a)  For  to  supersede  our 
condemnation  it  was  not  sufficient  for  him  to  suffer  any  kind 
of  death:  but,  to  accomplish  our  redemption,  that  kind  of  death 
was  to  be  chosen,  by  which,  both  sustaining  our  condemnation 
and  receiving  our  guilt,  he  might  deliver  us  from  both.  Had 
he  been  assassinated  by  robbers,  or  murdered  in  a  popular 
tumult,  in  such  a  death  there  would  have  been  no  appearance 
of  satisfaction.  But  when  he  is  placed  as  a  criminal  before  the 
tribunal,  when  he  is  accused  and  overpowered  by  the  testimony 
of  witnesses,  and  by  the  mouth  of  the  judge  is  condemned  to 
die;  we  understand  from  these  circumstances,  that  he  sustained 
the  character  of  a  malefactor.  And  we  shall  remark  two  things 
which  were  foretold  in  the  predictions  of  the  prophets,  and 
afford  peculiar  consolation  and  confirmation  to  our  faith.  For 
when  we  are  told,  that  Christ  was  sent  from  the  presence  of 
the  judge  to  the  place  of  execution,  and  suspended  between 
two  thieves,  we  see  the  completion  of  that  prophecy,  which  is 
cited  by  the  Evangelist,  "  He  was  numbered  with  the  trans- 
gressors." (&)  For  what  reason?  to  sustain  the  character  of  a 
sinner,  not  of  a  righteous  or  innocent  person;  for  he  died 
not  for  his  innocence,  but  on  account  of  sin.  On  the  contrary, 
when  we  hear  him  absolved  by  the  same  mouth  by  which  he 
was  condemned  (for  Pilate  was  constrained  repeatedly  to  give 
a  public  testimony  of  his  innocence)  (c)  let  it  remind  us  of 
what  we  read  in  another  prophet:  "  I  restored  that  which  I 
took  not  away."  (i/)  Thus  we  shall  behold  Christ  sustaining 
the  character  of  a  sinner  and  malefactor,  while  from  the  lustre 
of  his  innocence  it  will  at  the  same  time  evidently  appear,  that 
he  was  loaded  with  the  guilt  of  others,  but  had  none  of  his  own. 
He  suffered,  then,  under  Pontius  Pilate,  after  having  been  con- 
demned as  a  criminal  by  the  solemn  sentence  of  the  governor: 
yet  not  in  such  a  manner,  but  that  he  was  at  the  same  time 
pronounced  to  be  righteous,  by  the  declaration  of  the  same 
judge,  that  he  found  in  him  no  cause  of  accusation.  This  is 
our  absolution,  that  the  guilt,  which  made  us  obnoxious  to 
punishment,  is  transferred  to  the  person  of  the  Son  of  God. 
For  we  ought  particularly  to  remember  this  satisfaction,  thai 

(a)  Isaiah  liii.  5.  (b)  Isaiah  liii.  12.  Mark  xv.  26. 

(c)  Matt,  xxvii.  18,  23,  24.  John  xviii.  38.  (d  )  'Psalm  Ixix.  4 


CHAP.  xvi.J       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  $47 

we  may  not  spend  our  whole  lives  in  terror  and  anxiety,  as 
though  we  were  pursued  by  the  righteous  vengeance  of  God, 
which  the  Son  of  God  has  transferred  to  himself. 

VI.  Moreover,  the  species  of  cteath  which  he  suffered,  is 
fraught  with  a  peculiar  mystery.  The  cross  was  accursed,  not 
only  in  the  opinion  of  men,  but  by  the  decree  of  the  Divine 
law.  Therefore  when  Christ  is  lifted  up  upon  it,  he  renders 
himself  obnoxious  to  the  curse.  And  this  was  necessary  to  be 
done,  that  by  this  transfer  we  might  be  delivered  from  every 
curse,  which  awaited  us,  or  rather  was  already  inflicted  upon 
us,  on  account  of  our  iniquities.  This  was  also  prefigured  in 
the  law.  For  the  victims  and  expiations  offered  for  sins  were 
called  JlD3t#fc{,  a  word  which  properly  signifies  sin  itself.  By 
this  appellation  the  Spirit  intended  to  suggest  that  they  were 
vicarious  sacrifices  to  receive  and  sustain  the  curse  due  to  sin. 
But  that  which  was  figuratively  represented  in  the  Mosaic 
sacrifices,  is  actually  exhibited  in  Christ  the  archetype  of  the 
figures.  Wherefore,  in  order  to  effect  a  complete  expiation, 
he  gave  his  soul  D{#J$,  tnat  lsi  an  atoning  sacrifice  for  sin,  (f) 
as  the  prophet  says;  so  that  our  guilt  and  punishment  being 
as  it  were  transferred  to  him,  they  must  cease  to  be  imputed 
to  us.  The  apostle  more  explicitly  testifies  the  same,  when  he 
says,  "He  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin; 
that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."  Q*-) 
For  the  Son  of  God,  though  perfectly  free  from  all  sin,  never- 
theless assumed  the  disgrace  and  ignominy  of  our  iniquities, 
and  on  the  other  hand  arrayed  us  in  his  purity.  He  appears  to 
have  intended  the  same,  when  he  says  concerning  sin,  that  it 
it  was  "  condemned  in  the  flesh,"  (A)  that  is,  in  Christ.  For  the 
Father  destroyed  the  power  of  sin,  when  the  curse  of  it  was 
transferred  to  the  body  of  Christ.  This  expression  therefore 
indicates,  that  Christ  at  his  death  was  offered  to  the  Father  as 
an  expiatory  sacrifice,  in  order  that  a  complete  atonement 
being  made  by  his  oblation,  we  may  no  longer  dread  the 
Divine  wrath.  Now  it  is  evident  what  the  prophet  meant,  when 
he  said,  "  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all;"  (i) 
namely,  that  when  he  was  about  to  expiate  our  sins  they  were 

(/)  Isaiah  liii.  10.  (g)  2  Cor.  v.  21. 

(/<)  Rom.  viii.  3.  ' i)  Isaiah  liii.  6. 


548  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

transferred  to  him  by  Imputation.  The  cross,  to  which  he  was 
fixed,  was  a  symbol  of  this,  as  the  apostle  informs  us:  "  Christ 
hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a 
curse  for  us:  for  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one  that  hangeth 
on  a  tree:  that  the  blessing  of  Abraham  might  come  on  the 
Gentiles  through  Jesus  Christ."  (£)  Peter  alluded  to  the  same, 
where  he  said,  "  He  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the 
tree:"  (/)  because  from  the  visible  symbol  of  the  curse,  we 
more  clearly  apprehend,  that  the  burden,  with  which  we  were 
oppressed,  was  imposed  on  him.  Nor  must  we  conceive  that 
he  submitted  to  a  curse  which  overwhelmed  him,  but  on  the 
contrary  that  by  sustaining  it,  he  depressed,  broke,  and  de- 
stroyed all  its  power.  Wherefore  faith  apprehends  an  abso- 
lution in  the  condemnation  of  Christ,  and  a  benediction  in  his 
curse.  It  is  not  without  reason  therefore  that  Paul  magnifi- 
cently proclaims  the  triumph,  which  Christ  gained  for  himself 
on  the  cross;  as  though  the  cross,  which  was  full  of  ignominy, 
had  been  converted  into  a  triumphal  chariot.  For  he  says, 
that  "  he  nailed  to  his  cross  the  hand- writing,  which  was  con- 
trary to  us,  and  having  spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  he 
made  a  shew  of  them  openly."  (m)  Nor  should  this  surprise 
us;  for,  according  to  the  testimony  of  another  apostle,  u  Christ 
offered  himself  through  the  eternal  Spirit."  (n)  Hence  arose 
that  change  of  the  nature  of  things.  But  that  these  things  may 
be  deeply  rooted  and  firmly  fixed  in  our  hearts,  let  us  always 
remember  his  sacrifice  and  ablution.  For  we  certainly  could 
have  no  confidence  that  Christ  was  our  (*7roAtiTga»o-<$,  (<?)  x«« 
«»T<A«/Tg«»,  (/>)  KOCI  <AflKmig/ox,)  (y)  redemption,  ransom,  and 
propitiation,  if  he  had  not  been  a  slaughtered  victim.  And 
for  this  reason  it  is,  that  when  the  Scripture  exhibits  the 
method  of  redemption,  it  so  often  makes  mention  of  blood. 
Though  the  blood  shed  by  Christ  has  not  only  served  as 
an  atonement  to  God,  but  likewise  as  a  laver  to  purge  away 
our  pollutions. 

VII.  It  follows  in  the  Creed,  "  that  he  died  and  was  buried:" 
in  which  may  be  further  seen,    how  in  every  respect  he  sub- 

(*•)  Gal.  Hi.  13, 14.       (0  I  Peter  ii.  24.          (m)  Col.  ii.  14, 15. 
(n)  Heb.  ix.  14-  (o)  1  Cor.  i.  30.  (/>)  1  Tim.  ii.  6. 

(,y)  Rom.  iii.  25, 


CHAP,  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  549 

stituted  himself  in  our  room  to  pay  the  price  of  our  redemp- 
tion. Death  held  us  in  bondage  under  his  yoke;  Christ,  to 
deliver  us  from  it,  surrendered  himself  to  his  power  in  our 
stead.  This  is  the  meaning  of  the  apostle,  when  he  says,  that 
"  he  tasted  death  for  every  man."  (r)  For  by  his  death  he 
prevented  us  from  dying,  or,  which  comes  to  the  same  thing> 
by  his  death  recovered  life  for  us.  But  in  this  respect  he 
differed  from  us;  he  surrendered  himself  to  death  to  be  as  it 
were  overcome  by  it,  not  that  he  might  be  absorbed  in  its 
abysses,  but  rather  that  he  might  swallow  that,  by  which  we 
should  have  been  at  length  devoured;  he  surrendered  himself 
to  death  to  be  subdued,  not  that  he  might  be  overwhelmed  by 
its  power,  but  rather  that  he  might  overthrow  that  which 
threatened  us,  which  indeed  had  already  overcome  us,  and 
was  triumphing  over  us.  Lastly,  he  died,  "  that  he  might  de- 
stroy him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil;  and 
deliver  them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their  lifetime 
subject  to  bondage."  (s)  This  is  the  first  benefit  we  have  re- 
ceived from  his  death.  The  second  is,  that,  by  a  communication 
of  himself,  he  "  mortifies"  our  "  members  which  are  upon  the 
earth,"  (f)  that  they  may  no  longer  perform  their  own  actions; 
and  slays  our  old  man,  that  it  may  not  flourish  and  bear  fruit 
any  more.  The  burial  of  Christ  has  the  same  tendency, 
namely,  that  being  made  partakers  of  it,  we  may  be  buried  to 
sin.  For  when  the  apostle  teaches  us  that  "  we  have  been 
planted  in  the  likeness  of  the  death  of  Christ,  and  buried 
with  him"  (y)  to  the  death  of  sin;  that  "  by  his  cross  the  world 
is  crucified"  unto  us,  and  we  "  unto  the  world;"  (to)  and  that 
we  "  are  dead"  with  him;  (#)  he  not  only  exhorts  us  to  imitate 
the  example  of  his  death;  but  declares  that  it  contains  such  an 
efficacy,  as  ought  to  be  conspicuous  in  all  Christians,  unless 
they  wish  to  render  that  death  ineffectual  and  useless.  In  the 
death  and  burial  of  Christ  therefore  we  have  a  twofold  benefit 
proposed  to  our  enjoyment;  deliverance  from  the  thraldom  of 
death,  and  the  mortification  of  our  flesh. 

VIII.  But  it  is  not  right  to  omit  his  "descent  into  hell," 
which  is  of  no  small  importance  towards  the  accomplishment 

(r)  Heb.  ii.  9.  0)  Heb.  ii.  14,  15.  (0  Col.  ill.  5. 

(t>)  Rom.  vi.  4,  5.  (w)  Gal.  vi.  14.  (x)  Col.  iii.  3. 


550  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOO*  a. 

of  redemption.  For  though  it  appears  from  the  writings  of 
the  ancients,  that  this  article  of  the  Creed  was  not  always  in 
common  use  in  the  churches;  yet  in  discussing  a  system  of 
doctrine,  it  is  necessary  to  introduce  it,  as  containing  a 
mystery  highly  useful  and  by  no  means  to  be  despised.  Indeed 
there  are  some  of  the  ancients  who  do  not  omit  it.  Hence 
we  may  conjecture,  that  it  was  inserted  a  little  after  the  days 
of  the  apostles,  and  was  not  immediately  but  gradually  received 
in  the  churches.  This  at  least  cannot  be  controverted,  that 
it  was  agreeable  to  the  general  opinion  of  all  the  faithful;  since 
there  is  not  one  of  the  Fathers,  who  does  not  mention  in  his 
writings  the  descent  of  Christ  into  hell,  though  they  explain  it 
in  different  senses.  But  by  whom,  or  at  what  period  it  was 
first  inserted,  is  of  little  consequence;  it  is  of  more  importance 
that  the  Creed  should  present  us  a  full  and  complete  summary 
of  faith,  hito  which  nothing  should  be  inserted,  but  what  is 
taken  from  God's  most  holy  word.  Yet  if  any  morosely  refuse 
to  admit  it  into  the  Creed,  it  shall  presently  be  proved  to  be  so 
necessary  to  the  perfection  of  our  redemption,  that  the  omission 
of  it  considerably  lessens  the  benefit  of  the  death  of  Christ. 
Some  again  are  of  opinion,  that  this  clause  contains  nothing 
new,  but  is  only  a  repetition,  in  other  words,  of  what  had  be- 
fore been  said  respecting  his  burial;  because  the  word  here 
rendered  "  hell"  is  frequently  used  in  the  Scriptures  to  signify 
the  grave.  I  admit  the  truth  of  their  observation  respect- 
ing the  signification  of  this  word,  that  it  is  frequently  to  be 
understood  of  the  "  grave;"  but  their  opinion  is  opposed  by 
two  reasons,  which  easily  induce  me  to  dissent  from  them. 
For  what  extreme  carelessness  it  would  betray,  after  a  plain 
fact  had  been  stated  in  the  most  explicit  and  familiar  manner, 
to  assert  it  a  second  time  in  an  obscure  combination  of 
words,  calculated  rather  to  perplex  than  to  elucidate  it!  For 
when  two  phrases  expressive  of  the  same  thing  are  connected 
together,  the  latter  ought  to  be  an  explanation  of  the  former. 
But  what  an  explanation  would  this  be,  if  one  were  to  express 
it  thus:  "When  Christ  is  said  to  have  been  buried,  the  mean- 
ing is,  that  he  descended  into  hell?"  Besides  it  is  not  probable, 
that  such  a  superfluous  tautology  could  have  found  its  way  into 
this  compendium,  in  which  the  principal  articles  of  faith  are 


CHAP,  xvi.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  551 

summarily  expressed  with  the  utmost  possible  brevity.  And 
I  doubt  not,  that  all  who  have  considered  this  point  with  any 
attention  will  easily  assent  to  what  I  have  advanced. 

IX.  Others  give  a  different  interpretation;  that  Christ  de- 
scended to  the  souls  of  the  Fathers  who  had  died  under  the 
law,  for  the  purpose  of  announcing  the  accomplishment  of  re- 
demption, and  liberating  them  from  the  prison  in  which  they 
were  confined.  To  this  purpose  they  pervert  a  passage  in  the 
Psalms,  that  "  he  hath  broken  the  gates  of  brass,  and  cut  the 
bars  of  iron  in  sunder:"  (z/)  and  another  in  Zechariah,  "  I 
have  sent  forth  thy  prisoners  out  of  the  pit  wherein  is  no 
water."  (z)  But  since  the  Psalmist  celebrates  the  liberation  of 
those  who  are  suffering  captivity  and  imprisonment  in  distant 
countries;  and  Zechariah  compares  the  destruction  in  which 
the  people  had  been  overwhelmed  in  Babylon,  to  a  dry  pit 
or  abyss;  and  at  the  same  time  suggests,  that  the  salvation  of 
the  whole  Church  is  a  deliverance  from  the  abysses  of  hell:  I 
know  not  how  it  came  to  pass,  that  posterity  should  imagine 
a  subterraneous  cavern  to  which  they  have  given  the  name  of 
LJmbus.  But  this  fable,  although  it  is  maintained  by  great 
authors,  and  even  in  the  present  age  is  by  many  seriously  de- 
fended as  a  truth,  is  after  all  nothing  but  a  fable.  For  to  con- 
fine the  souls  of  the  dead  in  a  prison,  is  quite  puerile:  but 
what  necessity  was  there  for  Christ  to  descend  thither  in  order 
to  liberate  them?  I  freely  confess  indeed  that  Christ  illumi- 
nated them  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit;  that  they  might  know 
that  the  grace,  which  they  had  only  tasted  by  hope,  was  then 
exhibited  to  the  world.  And  probably  to  this  we  may  accom- 
modate that  passage  of  Peter,  where  he  says,  that  Christ  "  went 
and  preached  unto  the  spirits  who  were  keeping  watch  as  in  a 
tower."  (a)  This  is  generally  rendered  "  the  spirits  in  prison," 
but  I  conceive  improperly.  The  context  also  gives  us  to  un- 
derstand, that  the  faithful  who  had  died  before  that  time,  were 
partakers  of  the  same  grace  with  us.  For  the  apostle  amplifies 
the  efficacy  of  the  death  of  Christ  from  this  consideration,  that 
it  penetrated  even  to  the  dead;  when  the  souls  of  the  faithful 
enjoyed  the  present  view  of  that  visitation  which  they  had  been 

(y)  Pfalm  cvii.  16  (2)  Zech.  ix.  11.  («>  1  Peter  iii.  IP. 


552  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

anxiously  expecting;  whilst  on  the  contrary  it  was  more 
clearly  discovered  to  the  reprobate,  that  they  were  excluded 
from  all  hope.  But  since  Peter  has  not  spoken  in  this  distinct 
manner  oi*  the  pious  and  the  impious,  we  must  not  understand 
him  as  confounding  them  all  together  without  any  discrimina- 
tion. He  only  designs  to  inform  us,  that  the  knowledge  of  the 
death  of  Christ  was  common  to  them  both. 

X.  But  laying  aside  all  consideration  of  the  Creed,  we  have 
to  seek  for  a  more  certain  explanation  of  the  descent  of  Christ 
into  hell,  and  we  find  one  in  the  Divine  word,  not  only  holy 
and  pious,  but  likewise  replete  with  singular  consolation.  If 

Christ  had  merely  died  a  corporeal  death,  no  end  would  have 

*, .  •    •  -  •     •          --      '•  • 

been  accomplished  by  it;  it  was  requisite  also,  that  he  should 
feel  the  severity  of  the  Divine  vengeance,  in  order  to  appease 
the  wrath  of  God,  and  satisfy  his  justice.  Hence  it  was  necessary 
for  him  to  contend  with  the  powers  of  hell  and  the  horror  of 
eternal  death.  We  have  already  stated  from  the  prophet,  that 
"  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him,"  that  "  he  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for  our  iniqui- 
ties;" (£)  the  meaning  of  which  is,  that  he  was  made  a  substitute 
and  surety  for  transgressors,  and  even  treated  as  a  criminal  him- 
self, to  sustain  all  the  punishments,  which  would  have  been  in- 
flicted on  them:  only  with  this  exception,  that  "  it  was  not  possi- 
ble that  he  should  be  holden  of  the  pains  of  death."  (c)  There- 
fore it  is  no  wonder,  if  he  be  said  to  have  descended  into  hell, 
since  he  suffered  that  death,  which  the  wrath  of  God  inflicts 
on  transgressors.  It  is  a  very  frivolous  and  even  ridiculous  ob- 
jection, to  say  that  by  this  explanation  the  order  of  things  is 
perverted,  because  it  is  absurd  to  make  that  subsequent  to  his 
burial,  which  really  preceded  it.  For  the  relation  of  those 
sufferings  of  Christ,  which  were  visible  to  men,  is  very  properly 
followed  by  that  invisible  and  incomprehensible  vengeance 
which  he  suffered  from  the  hand  of  God;  in  order  to  assure 
us  that  not  only  the  body  of  Christ  was  given  as  the  price  of 
our  redemption;  but  that  there  was  another  greater  and  more 
excellent  ransom,  since  he  suffered  in  his  soul  the  dreadful  tor* 
ments  of  a  person  condemned  and  irretrievably  lost. 

(/>)  Isaiah  liii.  5.  CO  Acts  ii.  24. 


CHAP,  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  553 

XI.  In  this  sense  Peter  says,  that  "  God  raised  him  up, 
having  loosed  the  pains  of  death:  because  it  was  not  possible 
that  he  should  be  holden  of  it."  (a)  He  does  not  say  singly 
"  death;"  but  tells  us  that  the  Son  of  God  was  involved  in 
"  the  pains  of  death,"  which  proceed  from  the  Divine  wrath 
and  malediction,  which  is  the  origin  of  death.  For  what  a 
little  thing  it  would  have  been,  for  Christ  to  appear  in  order 
to  suffer  death,  without  any  distress  or  perplexity,  and  even 
with  pleasure!  But  this  was  a  true  specimen  of  his  infinite 
mercy,  not  to  evade  that  death,  which  he  so  much  dreaded* 
Nor  can  it  be  doubted,  but  the  apostle  means  to  suggest  the 
same  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  when  he  says,  that  Christ 
u  was  heard  in  that  he  feared."  (6)  Some,  instead  of  fear, 
translate  it  reverence,  or  piety;  but  how  improperly,  is  evident 
from  the  subject  itself,  and  also  from  the  form  of  expression. 
Christ,  therefore,  "  when  he  offered  up  prayers  with  strong 
crying  and  tears,  was  heard  in  that  he  feared;"  not  that  he 
might  obtain  an  exemption  from  death,  but  that  he  might  not 
be  swallowed  up  by  it  as  a  sinner:  for  he  was  then  sustaining 
our .  character.  And  it  is  certainly  impossible  to  imagine 
any  more  formidable  abyss,  than  to  perceive  ourselves  forsaken 
and  abandoned  by  God,  and  not  to  be  heard  when  we  call 
upon  him,  as  though  he  had  conspired  to  destroy  us.  Now 
we  see  Christ  was  so  deeply  dejected,  that  in  the  urgency  of 
distress,  he  was  constrained  to  exclaim,  "  My  God,  my  God, 
why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?"  (c)  For  the  idea  of  some,  that 
he  spoke  rather  according  to  the  opinion  of  others  than  from 
his  own  feelings,  is  utterly  improbable:  since  he  evidently 
appears  to  have  spoken  from  the  anguish  of  his  inmost  soul. 
We  do  not  admit  that  God  was  ever  hostile  to  him,  or  angry 
with  him.  For  how  could  he  be  angry  with  his  beloved  Son, 
"  in  whom  his  soul  delighted?"  (</)  or  how  could  Christ,  by 
his  intercession,  appease  the  Father  for  others,  if  the  Father 
were  incensed  against  him?  But  we  affirm,  that  he  sustained 
the  weight  of  the  Divine  severity;  since,  being  "  smitten  and 
afflicted  of  God,"  (e}  he  experienced  from  God  all  the  tokens 
of  wrath  and  vengeance.  Wherefore,  Hilary  argues,  that  by  this 

(a)  Acts  ii.  24.  (6)  Heb.  v.  7.  (c)  Matt,  xxvii.  46. 

(t/)  Isaiah  xV.i.  1.  (e)  Isaiah  liii.  4. 

VOL.  I.  4  A 


554  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

descent  we  have  obtained  the  destruction  of  death.  And  in 
other  places  he  accords  with  our  opinion;  as  when  he  says, 
"  The  cross,  death,  and  hell,  are  our  life."  Again,  in  another 
place,  "  The  Son  of  God  is  in  hell,  but  man  is  raised  to 
heaven."  But  why  do  I  cite  the  testimony  of  a  private 
person,  when  the  apostle  asserts  the  same  thing,  mentioning, 
as  the  reward  of  Christ's  victory,  the  deliverance  of  them 
"  who,  through  fear  of  death,  were  all  their  life-time  subject 
to  bondage?"  (/")  It  was  necessary,  therefore,  that  he  should 
overcome  that  fear,  which  naturally  and  incessantly  harasses 
all  men;  which  he  could  not  do,  without  contending  with  it. 
Now,  that  his  was  not  a  common  or  trivial  fear,  will  soon 
be  more  clearly  evinced.  Thus,  by  contending  with  the 
power  of  the  devil,  with  the  dread  of  death,  and  with  the 
pains  of  hell,  he  obtained  the  victory,  and  triumphed  over 
them,  that  in  death  we  may  no  longer  dread  those  things 
which  our  prince  hath  destroyed. 

XII.  Here  some  contentious,  though  illiterate  men,  im- 
pelled rather  by  malice  than  by  ignorance,  exclaim  against 
me,  that  I  am  guilty  of  an  atrocious  injury  to  Christ;  because 
it  is  utterly  unreasonable  that  he  should  have  any  fear  con- 
cerning the  salvation  of  his  soul.  And  then  they  aggravate  the 
cavil,  by  pretending  that  I  attribute  despair  to  the  Son  of 
God,  which  is  contrary  to  faith.  In  the  first  place,  it  is 
presumptuous  in  them  to  raise  a  controversy  concerning  the 
fear  and  consternation  of  Christ,  which  is  so  expressly  as- 
serted by  the  evangelists.  For,  before  the  approach  of  his 
death,  he  experienced  a  perturbation  of  spirit,  and  depression 
of  mind;  but,  in  the  actual  struggle  with  it,  he  began  to  feel 
a  greater  degree  of  consternation.  If  they  say  that  this  was 
only  pretence,  it  ts  a  most  paltry  subterfuge.  We  ought, 
therefore,  as  Ambrose  justly  advises,  fearlessly  to  acknow- 
ledge the  sorrow  of  Christ,  unless  we  are  ashamed  of  his  cross. 
And,  indeed,  if  his  soul  had  experienced  no  punishment,  he 
would  have  been  only  :i  Redeemer  for  the  bod}-.  It  was 
necessary  for  him  to  combat,  in  order  to  raise  up  those  who 
h-.y  prostrate  on  the  earth;  and  his  heavenly  glory  is  so  far  from 

(/)  Heb.  ii.  is. 


CHAP,  xvi.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  555 

being  diminished  by  this,  that  his  goodness,  which  is  never 
sufficiently  celebrated,  is  conspicuous  in  his  voluntary  and  unrc- 
luctant  assumption  of  our  infirmities.  Hence  that  consolation 
which  the  apostle  offers  us  under  our  anxieties  and  sorrows, 
that  this  Mediator  has  experienced  our  infirmities,  in  order 
that  he  might  be  the  more  ready  to  succour  the  wretched.  (£-) 
They  pretend,  that  what  is  intrinsically  bad  cannot  be  justly 
attributed  to  Christ.  As  though  they  were  wiser  than  the 
Spirit  of  God,  who  connects  these  two  things  together,  that 
Christ  "  was  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without 
sin."  We  have  no  reason,  therefore,  to  be  alarmed  by  the 
infirmity  of  Christ,  to  which  he  was  not  compelled  by  vio- 
lence or  necessity,  but  induced  merely  by  his  mercy  and  love 
for  us,  voluntarily  to  submit  himself.  But  none  of  his  volun- 
tary sufferings  for  us  have  been  any  diminution  of  his  power. 
These  captious  objectors,  however,  are  deceived  in  one  point; 
they  do  not  perceive  that  this  infirmity  in  Christ  was  per- 
fectly free  from  every  stain  of  guilt,  because  he  always  kept 
himself  within  the  limits  of  obedience.  For,  because  no 
moderation  can  be  discovered  in  the  corruption  of  our  nature, 
where  all  our  passions  transgress  all  bounds  with  impetuous 
violence,  they  erroneously  measure  the  Son  of  God  by  this 
standard.  But  he  being  innocent,  and  free  from  every  defect, 
all  his  affections  were  governed  by  a  moderation  which  ad- 
mitted of  no  excess.  Whence  it  was  very  possible  for  him  to 
resemble  us  in  sorrow,  fear,  and  dread,  and  yet,  in  this  re- 
spect, to  be  very  different  from  us.  Refuted  here,  they  pro- 
ceed to  another  cavil;  that,  although  Christ  was  afraid  of 
death,  yet  he  was  not  afraid  of  the  malediction  and  wrath  of 
God,  from  which  he  knew  himself  to  be  safe.  But  let  the 
pious  reader  consider  how  much  honour  it  reflects  on  Christ, 
that  he  was  more  delicate  and  timorous  than  the  generality  of 
mankind.  Robbers  and  other  malefactors  obstinately  rush 
forward  to  death;  many  men  heartily  despise  it;  others 
calmly  submit  to  it.  But  what  constancy  or  magnanimity 
would  the  Son  of  God  have  discovered,  in  being  astonished 
and  almost  struck  dead  with  the  fear  of  it?  For  it  is  related 

<»Heb.iv.  15 


556  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

of  him,  what  might  generally  be  accounted  a  prodigy,  that 
through  the  vehemence  of  his  agonies,  drops  of  blood  flowed 
from  his  face.  Nor  did  he  exhibit  this  spectacle  to  the  eyes  of 
others;  he  sent  up  his  groans  to  his  Father,  in  the  secrecy  of 
retirement.  And  every  doubt  is  removed,  by  the  necessity 
that  there  was  for  angels  to  descend  from  heaven,  to  support 
him  with  unusual  consolation.  What  disgraceful  effeminacy, 
as  I  have  suggested,  would  this  have  been,  to  be  so  distressed 
by  the  fear  of  a  common  death,  as  to  be  in  a  bloody  sweat, 
and  incapable  of  being  comforted  without  the  presence  of 
angels!  What!  does  not  this  rayer,  which  he  repeated 
three  times,  "  O  my  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup 
pass  from  me,"  (A)  proceeding  from  an  incredible  bitterness 
of  soul,  demonstrate  that  Christ  had  a  more  severe  and  ar- 
duous conflict  than  with  a  common  death?  Whence  it  ap- 
pears, that  those  triflers,  with  whom  I  am  now  disputing, 
presumptuously  chatter  about  things  which  they  know  not; 
because  they  never  seriously  considered  the  nature  or  the  im- 
portance of  our  redemption  from  the  Divine  judgment.  But 
it  is  our  wisdom,  to  have  a  clear  understanding  how  much 
our  salvation  cost  the  Son  of  God.  If  any  one  inquire, 
whether  Christ  was  then  descending  to  hell,  when  he  depre- 
cated death?  I  reply,  that  this  was  the  prelude  to  it,  whence 
we  may  conclude  what  dreadful  and  horrible  agonies  he  must 
have  suffered,  while  he  was  conscious  of  standing  at  the  tri- 
bunal of  God,  accused  as  a  criminal  on  our  account.  But, 
although  the  Divine  power  of  the  Spirit  concealed  itself  for  a 
moment,  to  give  place  to  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh;  yet  we 
know,  that  the  temptation  arising  from  a  sense  of  grief  and 
fear  was  such  as  was  not  repugnant  to  faith.  And  thus  was 
fulfilled  what  we  find  in  the  sermon  of  Peter,  "that  it  was 
not  possible  that  he  should  be  holden  of  the  pains  of  death;"  (i) 
because,  when  he  perceived  himself,  as  it  were,  deserted  by 
Go •!,  still  he  relaxed  not  in  the  least  from  his  confidence  in 
his  Father's  goodness.  This  is  evident  from  his  celebrated 
invocation,  when,  through  the  vehemence  of  grief,  he  ex- 
cluimed,  "  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?"  (>£) 

(*)  Malt.  Xxvi.  39.  (»)  Acts  ii.  24.  (* )  Matt,  xxvii.  46. 


CHAP,  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  557 

For  notwithstanding  his  extreme  agony,  yet  he  continues  to  call 
God  his  God,  even  when  he  complains  that  he  is  forsaken  by 
him.  Now  this  serves  to  refute  the  error  of  Apollinaris,  and 
also  of  those  who  were  called  Monothelites.  Apollinaris  pre- 
tended that  the  eternal  Spirit  supplied  the  place  of  a  soul  in 
Christ,  so  that  he  was  but  half  a  man.  As  though  he  could 
expiate  our  sins,  without  obedience  to  the  Father.  But  where 
was  the  disposition  or  will,  requisite  to  obedience,  but  in  his 
soul?  which  we  know  was  "troubled,"  (/)  in  order  to  dissipate 
all  our  fears,  and  obtain  peace  and  rest  for  ours.  Moreover, 
in  opposition  to  the  Monothelites,  we  see,  that  what  was  con- 
trary to  his  will  as  man,  was  agreeable  to  his  will  as  God.  I 
say  nothing  of  his  overcoming  the  fear  of  which  we  have 
spoken,  by  a  contrary  disposition.  For  there  is  a  manifest 
appearance  of  contrariety  when  he  says,  "  Father,  save  me 
from  this  hour:  but  for  this  cause  came  I  unto  this  hour. 
Father,  glorify  thy  name."  (???)  Yet,  in  this  perplexity,  there 
is  no  such  want  of  moderation  as  is  evident  in  us,  even 
while  we  are  exerting  our  most  strenuous  endeavours  to  con- 
quer ourselves. 

XIII.  Next  follows  his  resurrection  from  the^dead,  without 
which  all  that  we  have  said  would  be  incomplete.  For,  since 
there  appears  nothing  but  infirmity  in  the  cross,  death,  and 
burial  of  Christ,  faith  must  proceed  beyond  all  these  things, 
to  be  furnished  with  sufficient  strength.  Wherefore,  although 
our  salvation  is  perfectly  accomplished  by  his  death,  because 
by  that  we  are  reconciled  to  God,  a  satisfaction  is  given  to  his 
righteous  vengeance,  the  curse  is  removed,  and  the  punish- 
ment sustained;  yet  we  are  said  to  have  been  "  begotten  again 
to  a  lively  hope,"  not  by  his  death,  but  "  by  his  resurrection 
from  the  dead."  (n)  For  as  at  his  resurrection  he  appeared  the 
conqueror  of  death,  so  it  is  on  his  resurrection  that  our  faith 
principally  rests.  This  is  better  expressed  in  the  words  of 
Paul,  when  he  says,  that  Christ  "  was  delivered  for  our 
offences,  and  was  raised  again  for  our  justification:"  (o)  as 
though  he  had  said,  that  sin  was  removed  by  his  death,  and 
righteousness  renewed  and  restored  by  his  resurrection.  For 

(/)  John  xii.  27.  (m)  John  xii.  27,  28. 

(»)  1  Peter  i.  3.  (o)  Rom.  iv.  25. 


558  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n, 

how  was  it  possible  for  him  by  dying  to  liberate  us  from  death, 
if  he  had  himself  remained  under  its  power?  how  could  he 
have  obtained  the  victory  for  us,  if  he  had  been  vanquished  in 
the    contest?    Wherefore   we   ascribe    our  salvation  partly   to 
the  death  of  Christ,  and  partly  to   his    resurrection;  we  be- 
lieve   that    sin    was   abolished,  and   death  destroyed,  by   the 
former;  that  righteousness  was  restored,  and  life  established,  by 
the  latter;  yet  so  that  the  former  discovers  its  power  and  efficacy 
in  us  by  means  of  the  latter.  Therefore  Paul  asserts  that  he 
was  "  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  by  the  resurrection  from 
the  dead;"  (/»)  because  he  then  displayed  his  heavenly  power, 
which  is  both  a  lucid  mirror  of  his  Divinity,  and  a  firm  sup- 
port   of   our   faith.   So,  in   another   place,  he   says,  that  "  he 
was  crucified  through  weakness,  yet  he  liveth  by  the  power  of 
God."  (7)    In    the  same  sense,  in  another  place,   treating  of 
perfection,  he  says,  "  that  I  may  know  him,  and  the  power  of 
his  resurrection."  (r)  Yet,  immediately  after,  he   adds,    "  the 
fellowship    of  his  sufferings,  and    conformity  to  his    death." 
In  perfect  harmony  with  this,  is  the  following  declaration  of 
Peter:   "  God  raised  him  up  from  the  dead,    and    gave  him 
glory;   that  your    faith  and  hope    might  be  in  God:"  (s)  not 
that  faith  totters  when  it  rests  on  his  death;  but  because  "  the 
power  of  God,"  which  "  keeps  us  through  faith,"  (j)  chiefly 
discovers  itself  in  his  resurrection.  Let  us  remember,  there- 
fore, that  whenever  mention    is  made  of  his  death  alone,  it 
comprehends  also    what    strictly  belongs  to  his  resurrection; 
and  that  the   same  figure   of  speech  is  applied  to   the  word 
resurrection,  whenever  it  is  used  without  any  mention  of  his 
death,  so  that  it  connects  with  it  what  is  peculiarly  applicable 
to  his  death.  But  since  it  was  by  rising  from  the  dead  that 
he  obtained  the  palm  of  victory,  to  become  the  resurrection 
and   the  life;   Paul  justly  contends,   that,  "if   Christ  be  not 
risen,   then  is"  the    "preaching"  of  the  gospel  "vain,   and" 
our   "  faith    is  also  vain."  (u)  Therefore,   in   another   place, 
after  having  gloried  in  the  death  of  Christ,  in  opposition  to 
all  the  fears  of  condemnation,  he  adds,  by  way  of  amplifica- 
tion, "  Yea,  rather,  that  is  risen   again,  who  is   even  at  tht 

(/))  Rom.  i.  4.  (<?)  2  Cor.  xiii.4.  (r)  Phil.  iu.  10. 

(»)  1  Peter  i.  21.  (l)  1  Peter  i.  5.  (t>)  1  Cor.  xv.  14,  17. 


CHAP,  xvi.]  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  559 

right  hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us."  (w) 
Besides,  as  we  have  before  stated,  that  the  mortification  of  our 
flesh  depends  on  communion  with  his  cross;  so  it  must  also  be 
understood,  that  we  obtain  another  benefit,  corresponding  to 
that,  from  his  resurrection.  The  apostle  says,  "  If  we  have 
been  planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  we  shall  be 
also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection:  even  so  we  also  should 
walk  in  newness  of  life."  (*)  Therefore  in  another  place,  as, 
from  our  being  dead  with  Christ,  he  deduces  an  argument  for 
the  mortification  of  our  members  which  are  upon  the  earth;  (z/) 
so  also,  because  we  are  risen  with  Christ,  he  thence  infers  that 
we  should  seek  those  things  which  are  above,  and  not  those 
which  are  on  the  earth.  (2)    By  which  expressions  we  are  not 
only  invited  to  walk  in  newness  of  life,  after  the  example  of 
Christ  raised  from  the  dead,  but  are  taught  that  our  regenera- 
tion  to   righteousness  is   effected   by  his  power.   We   derive 
also    a  third  benefit  from  his   resurrection,  having  received, 
as  it  were,  a  pledge  to  assure  us  of  our  own  resurrection,  of 
which  his  clearly  affords  the  most  solid  foundation  and  evidence. 
This  subject  the  apostle  discusses  more  at  large  in  the  first 
Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  (a)  But  it  must  be  remarked  by 
the  way,  that  when  he  is  "said  to  have  "  risen  from  the  dead," 
this  phrase  expresses  the  reality  both  of  his  death  and  of  his 
resurrection:  as  though  it  were  said,  that  he  died  the  same 
death  as  other  men  naturally  die,  and  received  immortality  in 

1>m^*^'*^*&^+a**i^^^*^*fl&**6t*tol***i^H6**t^&e^lti^+^&&*B^0*BgtBtB&4UH0^BBHtltB&9l&H^ttHB&tiltBlB& 

the  same  body  which  he  had  assumed  in  a  mortal  state. 

XIV.  His  resurrection  is  properly  followed  in  the  Creed  by 
his  ascension  to  heaven.  For  though  Christ  began  to  make  a 
more  illustrious  display  of  his  glory  and  power  at  his  resur- 
rection, having  now  laid  aside  the  abject  and  ignoble  condition 
of  this  mortal  life,  and  the  ignominy  of  the  cross;  yet  his  ascen- 
sion into  heaven  was  the  real  commencement  of  his  reign.  This 
the  apostle  shews,  when  he  informs  us,  that  he  "  ascended,  that 
he  might  fill  all  things."  (£)  Here,  in  an  apparent  contradic- 
tion, he  suggests  to  us  that  there  is  a  beautiful  harmony,  because 
Christ  departed  from  us,  that  his  departure  might  be  more  use- 
ful to  us  than  that  presence,  which,  during  his  continuance  on 

(w)  Rom.  viii.  34.  (,r)  Rom.  vi.  4,  5.  («/)  Col.  iii.  5. 

(55)  Col.  Hi.  1,  2.  (a)l  Cor.  xv.  (6)  Eph.  iv.  10. 


560  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n 

earth,  confined  itself  withjnjthe  humble  mansion  of  his  body. 
Therefore  John,  after  having  related  that  remarkable  invitation, 
"  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me,  and  drink,"  sub- 
joins, that  u  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet  given;  because  that 
Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified."  (c)  This  the  Lord  himself  also 
declared  to  his  disciples:  "  It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go 
away:  for  if  I  go  not  avray,  the  Comforter  vrill  not  come  unto 
you."  (</)  Now  he  proposes  a  consolation  for  his  corporeal  ab- 
sence, that  he  "  will  not  leave  them  comfortless,  or  orphans, 
but  will  come  again  to  them,"  in  a  manner,  invisible  indeed, 
but  more  desirable:  because  they  were  then  taught  by  a  more 
certain  experience  that  the  authority  which  he  enjoys,  and  the 
power  which  he  exercises,  is  sufficient  for  the  faithful,  not  only 
to  procure  them  a  blessed  life,  but  to  ensure  them  a  happy 
death.  And  indeed  we  see  how  largely  he  then  increased  the 
effusions  of  his  Spirit,  how  greatly  he  advanced  the  magnifi- 
cence of  his  feign,  and  what  superior  power  he  exerted  both 
in  assisting  his  friends,  and  in  defeating  his  enemies.  Being 
received  up  into  heaven,  therefore,  he  removed  his  corporeal 
presence  from  our  view;  not  that  he  might  no  longer  be  pre- 
sent with  the  faithful  who  were  still  in  a  state  of  pilgrimage  on 
earth,  but  that  he  might  govern  both  heaven  and  earth  by  a 
more  efficacious  energy.  Moreover,  his  promise,  that-  he 
would  be  with  us  till  the  end  of  the  world,  he  has  performed 
by  this  his  ascension;  by  which,  as  his  body  was  elevated 
above  all  heavens,  so  his  power  and  energy  have  been  diffused 
and  extended  beyond  all  the  limits  of  heaven  and  earth.  In 
representing  this,  I  would  prefer  the  language  of  Augustine  to 
my  own.  "  Christ,"  says  he,  "  was  about  to  go  by  death  to 
the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  whence  he  will  hereafter  come 
to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead;  and  this  by  a  corporeal  pre- 
sence, according  to  the  rule  of  faith  and  sound  doctrine.  For 
in  his  spiritual  presence  with  them,  he  was  to  come  soon  after 
his  ascension."  And  elsewhere  he  treats  this  subject  in  a 
manner  still  more  diffuse  and  explicit.  By  his  ineffable  and 
invisible  grace,  Christ  has  fulfilled  his  declaration,  "  Lo,  I  am 
with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world."  (i)  But 

(c)  John  vii.  37,  39.         (d.)  John  xvi.  7.         (e)  Matt,  xxviii.  20. 


CHAP,  xvi.]        CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  561 

with  respect  to  the  body  which  the  Word  assumed,  which  was 
born  of  the  Virgin,  which  was  apprehended  by  the  Jews,  which 
was  fixed  to  the  cross,  which  was  taken  down  from  the  cross, 
which  was  folded  in  linen,  which  was  laid  in  the  sepulchre, 
which  was  manifested  at  the  resurrection,  there  has  been  an 
accomplishment  of  this  prediction:  "  Ye  shall  not  have  me 
always  with  you."  Why?  Because  in  his  corporeal  presence 
he  conversed  with  his  disciples  for  forty  days,  and  while  they 
were  attending  him,  seen  but  not  followed  by  them,  he  ascended 
into  heaven;  and  he  is  not  here,  for  he  sits  there  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father;  and  yet  he  is  here,  for  he  has  not  with- 
drawn the  presence  of  his  majesty.  In  the  presence  of  his 
majesty,  therefore,  wi:  have  Christ  always  with  us;  but  with 
respect  to  his  corporeal  presence,  he  said  with  truth  to. his 
disciples,  "  Me  ye  have  not  always."  For  the  Church  enjoyed 
his  corporeal  presence  for  a  few  days,  now  she  enjoys  him  by 
faith,  and  does  not  behold  him  with  her  eyes. 

XV.  Wherefore  it  is  immediately  added,  that  he  is  seated 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father:  which  is  a  similitude  borrowed 
from  princes,  who  have  their  assistants,  to  whom  they  depute 
the  exercise  of  the  government.  So  Christ,  in  whom  the 
Father  determines  to  be  exalted,  and  by  whose  medium  he 
chooses  to  reign,  is  said  to  have  been  received  to  his  right 
hand;  as  though  it  were  said,  that  he  had  been  inaugurated  m 
the  government  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  had  solemnly  entered 
on  the  actual  administration  of  the  power  committed  to  him; 
and  not  only  that  he  has  entered  on  it,  but  that  he  continues 
in  it,  till  he  descends  to  judgment.  For  so  the  apostle  explains 
it,  in  the  following  words:  "  The  Father  hath  set  him  at  his 
own  right  hand,  far  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and 
might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  only 
in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come:  and  hath  put 
all  things  under  his  feet,  and  gave  him  to  be  the  head  over 
all  things  to  the  Church,"  &c.  (,§•)  We  see  the  end  of  this 
session;  it  is,  that  all  creatures,  both  celestial  and  terrestrial, 
may  admire  his  majesty,  be  governed  by  his  hand,  obey  his 
will,  and  be  subject  to  his  power.  And  the  only  design  of  the 

(g-)  Eph.  i.  20-22. 
VOL.  I.  4  B 


56?  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  «. 

apostle*  in  their  frequent  mention  of  it,  is  to  teach  us  that  all 
things  are  committed  to  his  government.  Wherefore  they 
who  suppose  that  nothing  but  blessedness  is  signified  in  this 
article,  are  not  right  in  that  opinion.  It  affects  not  our  argu- 
ment, that  Stephen  declares  that  he  sees  Christ  "  standing,"  (A) 
because  the  present  question  relates,  not  to  the  posture  of  his 
body,  but  to  the  majesty  of  his  dominion;  so  that  sitting' 
signifies  no  other  than  presiding  at  the  tribunal  of  heaven. 

XVI.  Hence  faith  receives  many  advantage^.  For  it  per- 
ceives, that  by  his  ascension  the  Lord  has  opened  the  way  to 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  had  been  stopped  by  Adam. 
For  since  he  entered  there  in  our  nature,  and  as  it  were  in  our 
names,  it  follows  that,  as  the  apostle  expresses  it,  we  now  "  sit 
together"  with  him  "  in  heavenly  places,"  (z)  because  we  not 
only  hope  for  heaven,  but  already  possess  in  in  our  Head.  Be- 
sides, faith  knows  that  his  residence  with  his  Father  conduces 
greatly  to  our  advantage.  For  being  entered  into  a  sanctuary, 
which  is  not  of  human  erection,  (/£)  he  continually  appears  in  the 
presence  of  the  Father  as  our  advocate  and  intercessor;  (7)  he 

'  *  | !!••    _|_a     |  •_l_|___jliu_jj |__ __ ___^1_^,^^  ^        ' 

attracts  the  eyes  of  the  Father  to  his  righteousness,  so  as  to 
avert  them  from  our  sins;  he  reconciles  him  to  us,  so  as  t* 
procure  for  us,  by  his  intercession,  a  way  of  access  to  his 
hrone,  which  he  replenishes  with  grace  and  mercy,  but  which 
;her\vise  would  be  pregnant  with  horror  to  miserable  sin- 
ners, (m)  In  the  third  place,  faith  has  an  apprehension  of  his 
power,  in  which  consists  our  strength,  our  fortitude,  our  wealth, 
and  our  triumph  over  hell.  For  "  when  he  ascended  up  on 
high,  he  led  captivity  captive,"  (>/)  spoiled  his  enemies,  and 
enriched  his  people,  and  daily  loads  them  with  spiritual  fa- 
vours. He  sits  therefore  on  high,  that  from  thence  he  may 
shed  forth  his  power  upon  us,  that  he  may  animate  us  with 
spiritual  life,  that  he  may  sanctify  us  by  his  Spirit,  that  he 
may  adorn  his  Church  with  a  variety  of  graces,  and  defend  it 
by  his  protection  from  every  calamity,  that  by  the  strength  of 
his  hand  he  may  restrain  the  ferocious  enemies  of  his  cross 
and  of  our  salvation;  finally,  that  he  may  retain  all  power  in 
heaven  and  in  earth:  till  he  shall  have  overthrown  all  his 

(A)  Acts  vii.  55,  56.  (i)  Eph.  ii.  6.  (4)  Heb.  ix.  24. 

(/)  Rom.  viii.  34  (m)  Heb.  iv.  16.        («)  Eph.  iv.  8. 


€"l 
\ 


CHAP,  xvi.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  563 

enemies,  who  are  also  ours,  and  completed  the  edification  of 
his  Church.  And  this  is  the  true  state  of  his  kingdom,  this 
the  power  which  the  Father  hath  conferred  on  him,  till  he 
completes  the  last  act  by  coming  to  judge  tlu  living  and  the 
dead. 

XVII.  Christ  gives  his  servants  unequivocal  tokens  of  the 
presence  of  his  power:  but  because  on  earth  his  kingdom  is 
in  some  measure  concealed  under  the  meanness  of  the  flesh, 
faith  is  for  a  very  good  reason  called  to  meditate  on  that  visible 
presence  which  he  will  manifest  at  the  last  day;  For  he  will 
descend  from  heaven  in  a  visible  form,  in  the  same  manner  in 
which  he  was  seen  to  ascend;  (A)  and  will  appear  to  all  with 
the  ineffable  majesty  of  his  kingdom,  with  the  splendour  of 
immortality,  with  the  infinite  power  of  Deity,  and  with  a 
host  of  angels.  (z)  From  thence  therefore  we  are  commanded 
to  expect  him  as  our  Redeemer  at  the  last  day,  when  he  will 
separate  the  sheep  from  the  goats,  the  elect  from  the  reprobate; 
and  there  will  not  be  an  individual  of  either  the  living  or  the 
dead,  that  can  escape  his  judgment.  For  from  the  most  re- 
mote corners  of  the  world  they  will  hear  the  sound  of  the  trum- 
pet, with  which  all  mankind  will  be  summoned  to  his  tribunal, 
both  those  whom  that  day  shall  find  alive,  and  thpse  whom 
death  shall  previously  have  removed  from  the  society  of 
living.  There  are  some  who  understand  the  words  quic 
living,  and  dead,  in  a  different  sense.  And  indeed  we  find  that 
some  of  the  Fathers  hesitated  respecting  the  exposition  of  this 
clause:  but  the  sense  we  have  given,  being  plain  and  clear,  is 
far  more  consistent  with  the  design  of  the  Creed,  which  appears 
to  have  been  composed  for  the  common  people.  Nor  is  this 
repugnant  to  the  assertion  of  the  apostle,  that  "  it  is  appointed 
unto  men  once  to  die."  (£)  For  although  they  who  shall  sur- 
vive in  this  mortal  life  till  the  last  judgment,  shall  not  die  in  a 
natural  manner  and  order;  yet  that  change,  which  they  shall 
experience,  since  it  will  resemble  death,  may  without  impro- 
priety be  designated  by  that  appellation.  It  is  certain  in- 
deed that  "  all  shall  not  sleep,  but  all  shall  be  changed."  (/) 
What  is  that?  In  one  moment  their  mortal  life  will  be  extin- 

(A)  Acts  i.  11.  (0  Matt.  Xxiv.  30.  xxv.  31.    1  Thtfss.  iv.  16,  17. 

O)  Heb.  ix.  27.         (/)  1  Co*,  xv.  5l. 


o64-  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n, 

guishcd  and  absorbed,  and  will  be  transformed  into  a  nature 
entirely  new.  This  extinction  of  the  flesh  no  man  can  deny  to 
be  death.  Nevertheless  it  remains  a  truth,  that  the  living  and 
the  dead  will  be  summoned  to  judgment;  for  u  the  dead  in 
Christ  shall  rise  first:  then  they  which  are  alive  and  remain 
shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet 
the  Lord  in  the  air."  (/«)  And  it  is  very  probable  that  this 
article  was  taken  from  the  sermon  of  Peter,  (n)  and  from  the 
solemn  charge  of  Paul  to  Timothy,  (o) 

XVIII.  It  is  a  source  of  peculiar  consolation  to  hear  that 
he  will  preside  at  the  judgment,  who  has  already  destined  us 
to  participate  with  himself  the  honour  of  sitting  in  judgment 
with  him,  so  far  will  he  be  from  ascending  the  tribunal  to  con- 
demn us.  For  how  could  a  most  merciful  prince  "destroy  his 
own  people?  how  could  a  head  scatter  his  own  members?  how 
could  an  advocate  condemn  his  own  clients?  For  if  the  apostle 
ventures  to  exclaim,  that  no  one  can  condemn  us  while  Christ 
intercedes  for  us;  (/>)  it  is  much  more  certain  that  Christ  him- 
self, our  intercessor,  will  not  condemn  those  whose  cause  he 
has  undertaken,  and  whom  he  has  engaged  to  support.  Indeed, 
it  is  no  -inconsiderable  security,  that  we  shall  stand  before  no 
other  tribunal  than  that  of  our  Redeemer,  from  whom  we  are 
to  expect  salvation;  and  that  he,  who  by  the  gospel  now  pro- 
anises  eternal  life,  will  at  the  judgment  ratify  and  perform  the 
promise  which  he  has  given.  The  design  of  the  Father  in 
honouring  the  Son  by  "  committing  all  judgment  to  him,"  (q) 
was,  that  he  might  relieve  the  consciences  of  his  people  from 
all  fear  concerning  the  judgment.  Thus  far  I  have  followed 
the  order  of  trief  Apostles' CfeecT:  because  while  it  comprizes 
in  a  few  words  the  principal  points  of  redemption,  it  may 
serve  to  give  us  a  distinct  and  separate  view  of  those  particu- 
lars respecting  Christ  which  merit  our  attention.  I  style  it 
the  Apostles'  Creed,  but  am  not  at  all  solicitous  to  know 
who  was  the  composer  of  it.  The  ancient  writers  agree  in 
ascribing  it  to  the  apostles;  either  from  a  belief  that  it  was 
written  and  published  by  their  common  concurrence,  or  from 
an  opinion  that  this  compendium,  being  faithfully  collected  from 

(m)  1  Thess.  iv.  16, 17.        (")  Acts  x.  42.  (o)  2  Tim.  iv.  I. 

(/>)  Rom.  viii.34.  (</)  John  v.  22. 


CHAP,  xvi.]       CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  565 

the  doctrine  delivered  by  them,  was  worthy  of  being  sanctioned 
by  such  a  title.  And  whoever  was  the  author  of  it,  I  have  no 
doubt  that  it  has  been  publicly  and  universally  received  as  a 
confession  of  faith  from  the  first  origin  of  the  Church,  and 
even  from  the  days  of  the  apostles.  Nor  is  it  probable  that  it 
was  composed  by  any  private  individual,  since  from  time  imme- 
morial it  has  evidently  been  esteemed  as  of  sacred  authority  by 
all  the  pious.  But  what  we  ought  principally  to  regard,  is  be- 
yond all  controversy;  that  it  comprehends  a  complete  account 
of  our  faith  in  a  concise  and  distinct  order,  and  that  every  thing 
it  contains  is  confirmed  by  decisive  testimonies  of  Scripture. 
This  being  ascertained,  it  is  of  no  use  anxiously  to  inquire, 
or  to  contend  with  any  one,  respecting  its  author,  unless  it  be 
not  sufficient  for  any  one  to  have  the  unerring  truth  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  without  knowing  either  by  whose  mouth  it  was 
uttered,  or  by  whose  hand  it  was  written. 

XIX.  Since  we  see  that  the  whole  of  our  salvation,  and  all 
the  branches  of  it,  are  comprehended  in  Christ,  we  must  be 
cautious  not  to  alienate  from  him  the  least  possible  portion  of 
it.  If  we  seek  salvation,  we  are  taught  by  the  name  of  JESUS, 
that  it  is  in  him;  if  we  seek  any  other  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  they 
will  be  found  in  his  unction;  strength,  in  his  dominion;  purity, 
in  his  conception;  indulgence  discovers  itself  in  his  nativi 
by  which  he  was  made  to  resemble  us  in  all  things,  that 
might  learn  to  condole  with  us;  if  we  seek  redemption,  it  wi 
be  found  in  his  passion;  absolution,  in  his  condemnation;  re- 
mission of  the  curse,  in  his  cross;  satisfaction,  in  his  sacrifice; 
purification,  in  his  blood;  reconciliation,  in  his  descent  into 
hell;  mortification  of  the  flesh,  in  his  sepulchre;  newness  of 
life  and  immortality,  in  his  resurrection;  the  inheritance  of 
the  celestial  kingdom,  in  his  entrance  into  heaven;  protection, 
security,  abundance,  and  enjoyment  of  all  blessings,  in  his 
kingdom;  a  fearless  expectation  of  the  judgment,  in  the  judi- 
cial authority  committed  to  him.  Finally,  blessings  of  every 
kind  are  deposited  in  him,  let  us  draw  from  his  treasury,  and 
from  no  other  source,  till  our  desires  are  satisfied.  For  they 
who,  not  content  with  him  alone,  are  carried  hither  and  thither 
into  a  variety  of  hopes,  although  they  fix  their  eyes  principally 
on  him,  nevertheless  deviate  from  the  right  way  in  the  diver- 


566  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  n. 

sion  of  any  part  of  their  attention  to  another  quarter.  This 
distrust  however  cannot  intrude,  where  the  plenitude  of  his 
blessings  hath  once  been  truly  known. 


vw>vwwvvwwv 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Christ  truly  and  properly  said  to  have  merited  the  Grace  of  God 

and  Salvation  for  us. 

W  E  must  devote  an  additional  Chapter  to  the  solution  of 
this  question.  For  there  are  some  men,  more  subtle  than  or- 
thodox, who  though  they  confessed  that  Christ  obtained  salva- 
tion for  us,  yet  cannot  bear  the  word  merit,  by  which  they 
suppose  the  grace  of  God  is  obscured.  So  they  maintain  that 
Christ  is  only  the  instrument  or  minister,  not  as  he  is  called  by 
Peter,  the  Author,  or  Leader,  and  "  Prince  of  life."  (§r)  I  grant, 
indeed,  if  any  man  would  oppose  Christ  simply  and  alone  to 
the  judgment  of  God,  there  would  be  no  room  for  merit;  be- 
cause it  is  impossible  to  find  in  man  any  excellence  which  can 
merit  the  favour  of  God:  nay,  as  Augustine  most  truly  ob- 
es,  "The  brightest  illustration  of  predestination  and  grace 
Saviour  himself,  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who  hath 
acquired  this  character  in  his  human  nature,  without  any  pre- 
vious merit  either  of  works  or  of  faith."  Let  any  one  tell  me, 
how  that  man  merited  the  honour  of  being  assumed  into  one 
person  with  the  Word,  who  is  co-eternal  with  the  Father,  and 
so  becoming  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God?  Thus  the  foun- 
tain of  grace  appears  in  our  Head,  and  from  him  diffuses  its 
streams  through  all  his  members  according  to  their  respective 
capacities.  Every  one  from  the  commencement  of  his  faith  is 
made  a  Christian,  by  the  same  grace,  by  which  this  man  from 
the  commencement  of  his  existence  was  made  the  Christ. 
Again,  in  another  treatise,  Augustine  says,  u  There  is  not  a 
more  illustrious  example  of  predestination  than  the  Mediator 
himself.  For  he  who  made  of  the  seed  of  David  this  righteous 

(q)  Acti  iii.  15. 


CHAP,  xvii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  567 

man,  so  that  he  never  could  be  unrighteous,  without  any  pre- 
vious merit  of  his  will,  he  converts  unrighteous  persons  into 
righteous  ones,  and  makes  them  members  of  that  Head,"  &c. 
When  we  speak  of  the  merit  of  Christ  therefore,  we  do  not 
consider  him  as  the  origin  of  it,  but  we  ascend  to  the  ordina- 
tion of  God,  which  is  the  first  cause;  because  it  was  of  his  mere 
good  pleasure,  that  God  appointed  him  Mediator  to  procure 
salvation  for  us.  And  thus  it  betrays  ignorance,  to  oppose  the 
merit  of  Christ  to  the  mercy  of  God.  For  it  is  a  common 
maxim,  that  between  two  things,  of  which  one  succeeds  or  is 
-subordinate  to  the  other,  there  can  be  no  opposition.  There 
is  no  reason  therefore  why  the  justification  of  men  should  not 
be  gratuitous  from  the  mere  mercy  of  God,  and  why  at  the 
same  time  the  merit  of  Christ  should  not  intervene,  which  is 
subservient  to  the  mercy  of  God.  But  to  our  works  are  directly 
and  equally  opposed  the  gratuitous  favour  of  God  and  the 
obedience  of  Christ,  each  in  its  respective  place.  For  Christ 
could  merit  nothing^cxcept^by  the  good  pkjg"rco£,  ^ot!i  by 
which  he  had  been  predestinated  to  appease  the  Divine  v.-rath 
by  his  sacrifice,  and  to  abqlkh  our  tran  v-.  ':.  •  : 
dience.  To  conclude,  since  the  merit  of  Christ  depends  solely . 
on  the  grace  of  God,  which  appointed  this  method  of  salvatic 
for  us,  therefore  his  merit  and  that  grace  are  with  equal 
priety  opposed  to  all  the  righteousnesses  of  men. 
II.  This  distinction  is  gathered  from  numerous 
Scripture.  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gav 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish."  (r)  We  see,  that  the  love  of  God  holds  the  first  place, 
as  the  supreme  and  original  cause,  and  that  faith  in  Christ  fol- 
lows, as  the  second  and  proximate  cause.  If  it  be  objected, 
that  Christ  is  only  the  formal  cause,  this  diminishes  his  merit 
more  than  the  words  now  quoted  will  bear.  For  if  we  obtain 
righteousness  by  a  faith  which  relies  on  him,  it  is  in  him  we 
are  to  seek  the  cause  of  our  salvation.  This  is  evident  from 
many  passages.  "  Not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved1 
us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sins."  (s) 
These  words  clearly  demonstrate,  that  to  remove  every  ob- 

(r)  John  iii.  16.  (*)  1  John  iv.  10 


568  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  11. 

stacle  in  the  way  of  his  love  towards  us,  God  appointed  a 
method  of  reconciliation  in  Christ.  And  there  is  much  con- 
tained in  the  word  "  propitiation;"  for  God,  in  a  certain  in- 
effable manner,  at  the  same  time  that  he  loved  us,  was  never- 
theless angry  with  us,  till  he  was  reconciled  in  Christ.  This 
is  implied  in  the  following  passages:  "  He  is  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins."  (i)  Again:  "  It  pleased  the  Father,  having  made 
peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross,  by  him  to  reconcile  all 
things  unto  himself."  (t>)  Again:  "  God  was  in  Christ,  recon- 
ciling the  world  unto  himself,  not  imputing  their  trespasses 
unto  them."  (w)  Again:  "  He  hath  made  us  accepted  in  the 
Beloved."  (*)  Again:  "  That  he  might  reconcile  both  unto 
God  in  one  body  by  the  cross."  (z/)  The  reason  of  this  mystery 
may  be  learned  from  the  first  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Ephesians,  where  Paul,  having  taught  that  we  are  chosen  in 
Christ,  adds  at  the  same  time,  that  we  are  accepted  in  him. 
How  did  God  begin  to  favour  those  whom  he  had  loved  before 
the  creation  of  the  world,  but  by  the  manifestation  which  he- 
made  of  his  love  when  he  was  reconciled  by  the  blood  of  Christ? 
For  since  God  is  the  fountain  of  all  righteousness,  he  must 
necessarily  be  the  enemy  and  judge  of  every  sinner.  Where- 

e  the  beginning  of  his  love  is  the  righteousness  described  b\ 

"  He  hath  made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  nol  | 
sin;  that  we  may  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him."(z)|  | 
For  his  meaning  is,  that  by  the  sacrifice  of  Christ  we  obtain 
gratuitoiS  righteousness  so  as  to  be  acceptable  to  God,  though 
by  nature  we  are  the  children  of  wrath,  and  alienated  from  him 
by  sin.  This  distinction  is  indicated  also  wherever  the  grace 
of  Christ  is  connected  with  the  love  of  God;  whence  it  follows 
that  our  Saviour  bestows  on  us  what  he  has  purchased;  for 
otherwise  it  would  be  inconsistent  to  ascribe  this  praise  to 
him  distinctly  from  the  Father,  that  grace  is  his,  and  proceeds 
from  him. 

III.  Now  that  Christ  by  his  obedience  has  really  procured 
and  merited  grace  from  the  Father  for  us,  is  certainly  and 
justly  concluded  from  various  passages  of  Scripture.  For  I 
assume  this  as  granted:  If  Chris.t  has  satisfied  for  our  sins;  if 

(0  1  John  ii.  2.  (f )  Col.  i.  19,  20.  (w)  2  Cor.  v.  19. 

(*)  Eph.  i.  6.  (i/)  Eph.  ii.  16.  (r)  2  Cor.  v.  21. 


CHAP,  xvii.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  369 

he  has  sustained  the  punishment  due  to  us;  if  he  has  appeased 
God  by  his  obedience;  in  a  word,  if  he  has  suffered  the  just 
for  the  unjust;  then  salvation  has  been  obtained  for  us  by  his 
righteousness,  which  is  the  same  as  being  merited.  But 
according  to  the  testimony  of  Paul,  "  We  were  reconciled  by 
his  death,  by  whom  we  have  received  the  atonement,"  or  re- 
conciliation. («)  Now  there  is  no  room  for  reconciliation  with- 
out a  previous  offence.  The  sense  therefore  is,  that  God,  to 
whom  our  sins  had  rendered  us  odious,  has  been  appeased  by 
the  death  of  his  Son,  so  as  to  be  propitious  to  us.  And  the 
antithesis,  which  follows  just  after,  is  worthy  of  careful  ob- 
servation: "  As  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made 
sinners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one  shall  many  be  made  right- 
eous." (£)  For  the  meaning  is,  that  as  by  the  sin  of  Adam  we 
were  alienated  from  God  and  devoted  to  destruction,  so  by  the 
obedience  of  Christ  we  are  received  into  favour,  as  righteous 
persons.  Nor  does  the  future  tense  of  the  verb  exclude 
present  righteousness;  as  appears  from  the  context.  For  he 
had  before  said,  "  The  free  gift  is  of  many  offences  unto  justi- 
fication." (c) 

IV.  But  when  we  say  that  grace  is  procured  for  us  by 
merit  of  Christ,  we  intend,  that  we  have  been  purified 
blood,  and  that  his  death  was  an  expiation  for  sin 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin."]  W)  "This 
blood  is  shed  for  the  remission  of  sins."  (e}  If  t]M| 
tation  of  our  sins  to  us  be  the  effect  of  the  blofl 
shed,  it  follows  that  this  was  the  price  of  satisflEronto 
justice  of  God.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  declaration  of  t' 
Baptist:  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world."  (/)  For  he  opposes  Christ  to  all  the 
sacrifices  of  the  law,  to  shew  that  v  hat  they  prefigured  was 
accomplished  in  him  alone.  Now  we  know  what  Moses  fre- 
quently says,  that  an  atonement  shall  be  made  for  sin,  and  it 
shall  be  forgiven.  In  short,  the  ancient  figures  give  us  a  fine 
exhi'nitio  .  of  the  power  and  efficacy  of  the  death  of  Christ. 
And  the  apostle  copiously  discusses  this  subject  in  the  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews,  judiciously  assuming  this  as  a  fundamental 

(a)  Rom.  v.  10,  11.  (J)  Rom.  v.  19.  (c)  Rom.  v.  16. 

(rf)  1  John  i.  7.  (e)  Matt.  xxvi.  28.  (/)  John  i.  29. 

VOL.  I.  4  C 


570  INSTITUTES  OP  THE  [BOOK  11. 

principle,  that  "  without  shedding  of  blood  there  is  no  remis- 
sion." Whence  he  infers,  that  Christ  hath  "  once  ap  'reared 
to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself:"  and  that  "  he 
was  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  many."  (i)  He  had  already 
said,  that  "  Not  by  the  blood  of  goats  and  calves,  but  by  his 
own  blood;  he  entered  once  into  the  holy  place,  having  ob- 
tained eternal  redemption."  (£)  Now  when  he  argues  in  this 
manner;  "  If  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats,  and  the  ashes 
of  an  heifer  sprinkling  the  unclean,  sanctifieth  to  the  purify- 
ing of  the  flesh;  how  much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ 
purge  your  conscience  from  dead  works?"  (/)  it  evidently  ap- 
pears that  we  too  much  undervalue  the  grace  of  Christ,  unless 
we  attribute  to  his  sacrifice  an  expiatory,  placatory,  and  satis- 
factory efficacy.  Therefore  it  is  immediately  added;  "  He  is 
the  Mediator  of  the  New  Testament,  that  by  means  of  death, 
for  the  redemption  of  the  transgressions  that  were  under  the 
first  testament,  they  which  are  called  might  receive  the  pro- 
mise of  eternal  inheritance."  (m)  But  we  ought  particularly 
to  consider  the  relation  described  by  Paul,  that  he  was  u  made 
a  curse  for  us."  (n)  For  it  would  be  unnecessary,  and  con- 
uently  absurd,  for  Christ  to  be  loaded  with  a  curse,  except 
to  discharge  the  debts  due  from  others,  and  thereby 
righteousness  for  them.  The  testimony  of  Isaiah 
Sjclear,  that  "  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was 
:  •  m;  and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed."  (o)  For  if 
Bt  made  a  satisfaction  for  our  sins,  he  could  not 
•said  to  mPe  appeased  God  by  suffering  the  punishment  to 
lich  we  were  exposed.  This  is  confirmed  by  a  subsequent 
clause:  "  For  the  transgression  of  my  people  was  he  stricken."(/») 
Let  us  add  the  interpretation  of  Peter,  which  will  remove  all 
difficulty,  that  "  he  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree;"(y) 
which  imports  that  the  burden  of  condemnation,  from  which 
we  have  been  relieved,  was  laid  upon  Christ. 

V.  The  apostles  explicitly  declare,  that  he  paid  a  price  to 
redeem  us  from  the  sentence  of  death.  "  Being  justified  freely 

(j)  Hcb.  ix.  22,  26,  28.  (*•)  Heb.  ix.  12. 

(0  Heb.  ix.  13,  14.  (?»)  Heb.  ix.  15. 

(n)  Gal.  iii.  13.  (o)  Isaiah  liii.  5. 

(/>)  Isaiah  liii.  8  (9)  1  Peter  ii.  24. 


CHAP,  xvii.]     CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  571 

by  his  grace,  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus: 
whor  God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  through  faith 
in  his  blood."  (r)  Here  Paul  celebrates  the  grace  of  God,  be- 
cause he  has  given  the  price  of  our  redemption  in  the  death  of 
Christ:  and  then  enjoins  us  to  betake  ourselves  to  his  blood, 
that  we  may  obtain  righteousness,  and  may  stand  secure  before 
the  judgment  of  God.  Peter  confirms  the  same  when  he  says, 
"  Ye  were  not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as  silver 
and  gold,  but  with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  Lamb 
without  blemish  and  without  spot."  (*)  For  there  would  be  no 
propriety  in  the  comparison,  unless  this  blood  had  been  the 
price  of  satisfaction  for  sin:  for  which  reason  Paul  says,  "  Ye 
are  bought  with  a  price."  (t)  Nor  would  there  be  any  truth 
in  his  other  assertion,  that  "  there  is  one  Mediator,  who  gave 
himself  a  ransom,"  (t»)  unless  the  punishment  due  to  our  de- 
merits had  been  transferred  to  him.  Therefore  the  same 
apostle  defines  "  redemption  through  his  blood"  to  be  "  the 
forgiveness  of  sins:"  (TU)  as  though  he  had  said,  We  are 
justified  or  acquitted  before  God,  because  that  blood  is  a  com- 
plete satisfaction  for  us.  Which  is  consonant  with  the  follov 
ing  passage,  that  "  he  blotted  out  the  hand-writing,_wriich 
contrary  to  us,  nailing  it  to  his  cross."  (#)  For 
signify  the  payment  or  compensation  which 
guilt.  There  is  great  weight  also  in  these  Jt< 
"  If  righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then  Cj 
vain."  (z/)  For  hence  we  conclude,  that  we  T 
Christ  what  the  law  would  confer  upon  any  onfl 
it:  or,  which  is  the  same,  that  we  obtain  by^^^gr^^J 
Christ  what  God  promised  in  the  law  to  our  works:  kl  \ 
commandments  "if  a  man  do,  he  shall  live  in  them."  (z 
the  apostle  confirms  with  equal  perspicuity  in  his  sermol 
Antioch,  asserting  that  "by  Christ  all  that  believe  are  ju 
fied  from  all  things,  from  which  they  could  not  be  justified 
the  law  of  Moses."  (a)  For  if  righteousness  consist  in  an  o 
servance  of  the  law,  who  can  deny  that  Christ  merited  favour 
for  us,  when  by  bearing  this  burden  himself  he  reconciles  us 

(r)  Rom.  iii.  24,  25.  (s)  1  Peter  i.  18,  19.  (0  1  Cor.  vi.  20. 

(«)  1  Tim.  ii.  5,  6.  (w)  Col.  i.  14.  (x)  Col.  ii.  14. 

(y)  Gal.  ii.  21.  (2)  Lev.  xviii.  5.  Cn)  Acts  xiit.  39. 


and 

. 


572  INSTITUTES  OF  THE  [BOOK  H. 

to  God,  just  as  though  we  were  complete  observers  of  the  law 
ourselves.  The  same  rdea  is  conveyed  in  what  he  afterwards 
writes  to  the  Galatians,  that  "  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made 
under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the  law>"  (/>) 
For  what  was  the  design  of  that  subjection  to  the  law,  but  to 
procure  a  righteousness  for  us,  by  undertaking  to  perform  that 
•which  we  were  not  able  to  do.  Hence  that  imputation  of 
righteousness  without  works,  of  which  Paul  treats;  (c)  because 
that  righteousness  which  is  found  in  Christ  alone  is  accepted 
as  ours.  Nor  indeed  is  the  "flesh"  of  Christ  called  our 
"  food"  (</)  for  any  other  reason  but  because  we  find  in  it  the 
substance  of  life.  Now  this  virtue  proceeds  solely  from  the 
crucifixion  of  the  Son  of  God,  as  the  price  of  our  righteous- 
ness. Thus  Paul  says,  "  Christ  hath  given  himself  for  us  an 
offering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God  fora  sweet-smelling  savour."(<?) 
And  in  another  place,  "  He  was  delivered  for  our  offences, 
and  was  raised  again  for  our  justification."  (jf )  Hence  it  is 
inferred,  not  only  that  salvation  is  given  us  through  Christ, 
but  that  the  Father  is  now  propitious  to  us  for  his  sake.  For 
cannot  be  doubted,  but  this,  which  God  declares  in  a  figu- 
wayjjy  Isaiah,  is  perfectly  fulfilled  in  him;  u  I  will" 
ne  own  sake,  and  for  my  servant  David's  sake."(^-) 
tie  is  a  sufficient  witness,  when  he  says,  "  Your 
you  for  his  name's  sake."  (A)  For  although 
rist  is  not  expressed,  yet  John  in  his  usual 
cs  him  by  the  pronoun  «VT«?,  he.  In  this  sense 
ares,  "As  I  live  by  the  Father;  so  he  that 
he  shall  live  by  me."  (z)  With  whic'h  cor- 
following  declaration  of  Paul:  "  Unto  you  it  is 
for  the  love  of  Christ  (wi$  #?«T«»)  not  only  to  believe 
,  but  also  to  suffer  for  his  sake."  (/t) 

VI.  But  the  inquiry  made  by  Lombard  and  the  schoolmen, 
ether  Christ  merited  for  himself,  discovers  as  much  foolish 
uriosity,  as  the  assertion  docxs  presumption  when  they  affirm 
it.  For  what  necessity  was  there  for  the  only-begotten  Son 
of  God  to  descend,  in  order  to  make  any  new  acquisition  for 

(/-)  Gal.  iv.  4,  5.  (c)  Rom.  iv.  5.  (</)  John  vi.  55. 

(<•)  Eph.  v.  2.  (  /)  Rom.  iv.  25.  (^)  Isaiah  xxxvii.  35. 

(A)  1  John  ii.  IP.  (i)  John  vi.  57.  (A-)  Phil.  i.  29. 


lii, 

HTUJ 


CHAP,  xvn.]      CHRISTIAN  RELIGION.  oTJ 

himself?  And  God  by  the  publication  of  his  own  counsel  re- 
moves every  doubt.   For  it  is  said,  not  that  the  Father  con- 
sulted the  benefit  of  the  Son  in  his  merits,  but  that  he  "de- 
livered him  to  death,  and  spared  him  not,"  (/)  "  because  he 
loved  the  world."  (m)  And  the  language   of  the  prophets   is 
worthy  of  observation:  "  Unto  us  a  Child  is  born."  (n)  Again: 
"  Rejoice   greatly,    O    daughter   of   Zion;    behold   thy    King 
cometh  unto  thee."  (o)  There  would  otherwise  be  no  force  in 
that  confirmation  of  his  love,  which  Paul  celebrates,  that  he 
"  died  for  us,  while  we  were  enemies."  (/?)  For  we  infer  from 
this,  that  he  had  no  regard  to  himself:  and  that  he  clearly 
affirms  himself,  when   he  says,    "  For  their  sakes  I  sanctify 
myself."  (y)   For  by  transferring  the  benefit  of  his  sanctity  to 
others,  he  declares  that  he  makes  no  acquisition  for  himself. 
And  it  is  highly  worthy  of  our  observation,  that  in  order  to 
devote  himself  wholly  to  our  salvation,  Christ  in  a  manner  for- 
got himself.  To  support  this  notion  of  theirs,  the  schoolmen 
preposterously  pervert  the  following  passage  of  Paul:  " 
fore  also  God  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given 
which  is  above  every  name."  (r)  For,  considered 
what  merits  could  he  obtain  such  dignity  as  to  bej 
the  world  and  the  Head  of  angels,  to  enjoy  the  sj 
nion   of  God,  and  to  be  the   residence  of 
thousandth  part  of  which  can  never  be  approa^^^^Hftl  :7£' 
abilities  of  men  and  of  angels?  But  the  soluB 
complete,  that  Paul  in  that  passage  is  not  treafl 
of  the  exaltation  of  Christ,  but  only  shewing  t^H 
of  it,  that  he  might  be  an  example  to  us;  nor  didTJ 
other    than  what  is  declared  in  another  place,   that^B 
ought  to  have  suffered,  and  to  enter  into  his  glory."  (*), 

(0  Rom.  viii.  32.  (m)  John  iii.  16.  (n)  Isaiah  ix. 

(o)  Zech.  ix.  9-  (/»)  Rom.  v.  8,  10.  (7)  John  xvii.  19 

(r)  Phil.  ii.  9.  («)  Luke  xxiv.  26. 


END  OF  THE  FIRST  VOLUMF. 


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